Nina nuzzled contentedly against him, a faint smile curving her lips.

Seeing her like that, Idir’s own lips lifted slightly, a soft tenderness surfacing in his eyes.

Just as he was lost in the moment, a sudden chill brushed his neck. Lowering his gaze, he saw Momo’s little tail draped across him.

He frowned faintly, reached out, and lifted the cub before setting him aside.

This little one is cold too—can’t have him freezing her.

Then his eyes shifted to the other cubs, sprawled haphazardly across Nina’s chest and stomach. After a brief hesitation, he carefully picked them up one by one and moved them aside as well.

They’ll weigh her down like this.

With the cubs relocated, nothing remained between him and Nina.

Idir bit his lip, then tightened his embrace ever so slightly.

Closing his eyes, a quiet, satisfied smile appeared on his face.

The night passed in peaceful silence.

The next morning, Nina stirred awake, still half-asleep. Feeling the warmth beside her, she instinctively snuggled closer into it.

Idir sensed her waking and immediately held his breath, not daring to move.

Nina slowly opened her eyes—and was greeted by the sight of a strong, well-defined chest.

Still groggy, she didn’t think, simply reaching out to touch it out of habit.

Idir’s face flushed instantly.

"L-Little female... you’re awake?"

At the sound of his voice, Nina snapped fully awake.

She quickly pulled back, putting some distance between them. "Ahem... sorry, I didn’t mean to."

She’d forgotten it was him—she’d thought she was with her bonded partners.

A flicker of embarrassment crossed her face.

How had she ended up in his arms?

"It’s fine," Idir said softly, trying to explain. "I was worried you’d get cold, so I..."

"Mm. I’ll go wash up first."

Nina sat up, then glanced around for the cubs—only to find them all piled together in the corner.

She blinked, confused.

Why had they all ended up so far away?

Idir followed her gaze, then quickly looked away, feeling inexplicably guilty.

Just as Nina was about to move them back, the cubs began to stir.

They blinked sleepily, glancing around before noticing the distance between themselves and Nina.

They looked puzzled.

How did we end up over here?

Once fully awake, they all toddled back toward her. Nina gathered them up and took them to freshen up.

After a simple meal, they set out again.

By late morning, they finally emerged from the poisonous forest—and found themselves standing before a vast swamp.

Setan stepped forward.

"Little one, we’ll need to fly across this swamp. There are strange carnivorous creatures below—they devour anything that falls in."

He tossed a piece of meat into the swamp.

Before it even touched the surface, a swarm of vicious, sharp-toothed creatures—something like piranhas, but far more feral—leapt up and tore it apart in an instant.

Not even scraps remained.

Nina clicked her tongue softly. If someone fell in... they’d be gone before they could even react.

Setan turned back. "Their teeth are incredibly sharp, and they can jump high. We need to fly as high as possible. Be careful not to get bitten—and absolutely don’t fall. Otherwise..."

He didn’t finish the sentence.

He didn’t need to.

Nina looked toward Odian and Aviel. "Can you carry some of the others across?"

They nodded. "Yes. They can hold onto our talons. Each of us can carry three or four without issue."

"Good."

Nina took out several safety ropes.

"Tie these on—just in case someone slips."

Nina purchased several high-yield grenades and distributed them among the group.

"If anything in the swamp attacks you, use these—blow them apart."

She had already taught them how to use the grenades before, so the males accepted them without hesitation. Afterward, she demonstrated how to secure the safety ropes, making sure each knot was tight and reliable.

The phoenix and dragon clans shifted into their beast forms, while the others fastened themselves in pairs and groups.

Nina climbed onto Odian’s back with the cubs in her arms, while Roro was secured to Aviel’s talons.

Once everything was ready, they took off, flying toward the far side of the swamp.

At first, the crossing was smooth. The swamp lay eerily calm beneath them.

But after a while, the surface began to churn.

One by one, those grotesque creatures burst upward from the mire—each leap higher than the last. Some came dangerously close, snapping just beneath the males’ feet, their jaws narrowly missing.

The males immediately pulled their legs up, launching counterattacks with their abilities and grenades.

With the safety ropes in place, they no longer had to worry about falling. All their focus shifted to fighting off the relentless swarm below.

Roro, meanwhile, was thrilled.

He gleefully spat flames, roasting the leaping creatures midair.

Watching the charred bodies fall back into the swamp, his eyes filled with regret.

What a waste... if only I could go down and eat them.

Blasting their way forward, they finally cleared the swamp and descended into another forest.

"The danger here mainly comes from high-tier magical beasts," Setan said as soon as they landed.

"They’re stronger than mutated beasts—some even surpass the tenth rank. Their defenses are formidable, and they’re intelligent. We need to be careful."

"Do they have any weaknesses?" Nina asked.

"Nothing obvious," Setan replied. "But their numbers are usually limited."

Nina thought for a moment. "Then form groups—several people per team. Work together to fight them. It’ll be safer that way."

Odian and the others immediately organized the males into squads, and the group advanced deeper into the forest.

Before long, movement stirred around them.

Several high-tier magical beasts emerged, surrounding them from all sides.

At that moment, Little Bun’s voice chimed in Nina’s mind:

[Host, these beasts are quite valuable. Can we collect them after killing them and exchange them through the system?]

Nina quickly scanned them and raised a brow.

They were worth quite a lot.

"Alright," she replied. "I’ll collect them."

[Great! Do your best, host! And if things get tough, the shop has powerful weapons—feel free to purchase anytime.]

With that, Little Bun retreated back into the data stream.

Nina couldn’t help but smile.

Always thinking about sales, that one.

She relayed the information to her companions, who quickly passed it along.

The battle erupted instantly.

Kith and Aviel stayed close, guarding Nina as the others engaged.

Though the magical beasts were powerful, their numbers were few—and Nina’s group was large and coordinated. The fights, while intense, were manageable.

Nina remained at the rear, observing.

Each time a beast fell, she swiftly stored its body and exchanged it through the system.

They fought their way through the forest until, at last, they reached its end.

And there, their path stopped.

"This is the core region of the Sky Star Forest," Setan said, his expression growing serious.

"The last time I came this far, I couldn’t go any further."

"This place is... strange. Some people can enter easily, while others are completely blocked—as if an invisible force is stopping them."

"That strange?" Nina murmured, remaining where she stood, cautious.

"Yes. No one knows what lies inside—but it’s definitely dangerous. Anyone who’s entered... never came back."

Taru added quietly, "Over the centuries, many from our clans have ventured into the core. Not a single one has returned."

Odian frowned, thinking for a moment before speaking.

"I’ll go first. Those who can enter will wait inside. Once everyone has tried, we’ll decide our next move together. If you don’t want to try, you don’t have to."

Everyone nodded.

Then, one by one, they stepped forward—testing whether the unseen boundary would allow them to pass.