Chapter 145 Exploring The New World
Yunatea was composed of five continents in total, each comprising multiple kingdoms and populated by various races. The western Continent was the most densely populated by beastkin, even though they did not constitute the majority. Humans were the most numerous race on each Continent. Most beastkin made the western Continent their home, and the average kingdom there was brimming with them.
Deep in the eastern part of Yunatea's West Continent, the Koabia Kingdom prospered, renowned for its magnificent port, which connected the Central and South Continents. This port was not only an essential road for trade but also a representation of the Kingdom's immense wealth and grandeur.
Thanks to its advantageous location, the Koabia Kingdom has grown and become the strongest beastkin kingdom in the area over the last decades. Located near the Central Continent, which is inhabited by High Elves, and the South Continent, which is home to multiple human empires, Koabia has been able to capitalize on its strategic placement.
The Koabia Kingdom was fortified by the presence of the humans from New Earth who had settled on the South Continent. They brought with them their culture, customs, and beliefs, and these were swiftly adopted by the other kingdoms on the Southern Continent and beyond.
Situated across the vast expanse of the sea, on a separate landmass, the Koabia Kingdom had direct contact with the Disidia Kingdom on the South Continent. Both kingdoms were strongly impacted by the humans of New Earth, and the same level of respect and acceptance was accorded to the Koabia Kingdom, even though it was populated by beastkin.
"This is the perfect spot for me to quickly and effectively increase my strength."
The young man was wearing a black robe that mostly covered his head, though his blond hair could be seen peeking out. His clothing was made of leather, with an elbow-length shoulder section and a chest plate of iron armor.
The most captivating aspect of his disheveled demeanor was the robotic hand that was visible on his right arm; the metal appendage extended from his fingers and gave off a mechanical aura with each motion.
The young man snatched up a wooden jug filled with ale that sat in front of him. He was in a tavern filled with merry laughter and a lively tune playing in the background. The air was thick with the scent of wine, mingling with the pungent odor of the beastkin that was scattered around the room.
The room was illuminated by a dim yellow light emanating from several monster cores strewn about the space, their fiery glow resembling burning coals.
Although the food in that place was unappetizing, the young man had no other option but to consume it, having exhausted his supply of dried meat from downtown that he had been relying on for sustenance for the last few days.
He was Marco Frey, a human from the New Earth, a level 115 Hunter.
"See, I had achieved a high level in such a short amount of time." he said proudly, showing a proud smile. "And all of this was accomplished solely by relying on my intelligence," he continued.
Marco withdrew a small tablet from beneath his robe and read the latest news from New Earth on it. Even though direct communication between Yunatea and New Earth was impossible, the humans from New Earth in Yunatea still had access to the news circulated on a private network.
Although the news arrived quite slowly, taking around one to two weeks to reach them, it was sufficient to keep Marco informed about the events happening on New Earth.
"So, the CEHA Entrance Exam has been completed, huh?" Marco muttered to himself, piecing together the information he had gathered from the exam. "It looks like many people didn't make it through the early stages. I expected that, but what was Pascal's goal in all of this?"
Marco watched a series of clips, one of which showed Nathan battling Elite Monster, only to be taken captive by another party. Amused, Marco let out a chuckle, which quickly turned into a light coughing fit.
"Hey, you stupid human! Don't you dare make a sound in this place!" Marco barely noticed the beastkin's words as he continued to ponder the events of the exam.
"And look at this," Marco remarked in a slight tone of sarcasm, "He let them go without giving them harsh punishments. Indeed, my Master is the kindest in the whole world. I definitely didn't make the wrong choice."
Marco tracked the news regarding the Exam up to the point when Olivia had made the daring decision to enter the pocket dimension.
"What an impulsive choice," he wondered out loud. He paused for a moment to consider what the girl was doing.
Pascal had allowed Olivia and the other three people to enter the pocket dimension. "And, if this examination was indeed created to select candidates for the academy, that seems nonsensical to me. If someone had to go inside to put an end to the exam, why didn't Pascal go himself or at least Rang Hyonu, the one who designed the pocket dimension?"
Marco then watched a video of a huge battle between Nathan's party and another party with tens or hundreds of people involved.
He wrinkled his nose in disgust as he watched the fight, shaking his head in disbelief. "What an idiot," he drawled. "Sure, Nathan may be a bit of a dunce and his foolishness can be frustrating at times. But, I have to admit, it's his foolishness that makes him such an important part of the story. He's certainly the main character."
Marco contemplated himself, pondering how he might use his own strategies to defeat someone as formidable as Nathan's opponent without engaging in a full-on battle. Taking a deep breath, he thought aloud, "And now, my foolish sister has even killed a few of them. Nathan's group certainly have their fair share of issues."
Marco retrieved the wooden goblet from in front of him and leisurely took a sip. His face contorted into a peculiar expression as he tasted the drink, which was drastically different than what he usually preferred.
"Meriel Heijor," Marco sighed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Nathan is blessed with a certain charm that makes him so popular with the ladies. What an ass," he mumbled under his breath. "I just hope he knows that getting involved with that dark elf girl is only going to make his problems worse." Taking a slow, calming breath, he kept his gaze fixed on the video before him.
Marco watched several video clips about Nathan, arriving at the phase when the great war had taken place between the exam participants and the hordes of monsters that had attacked them from all sides.
As he watched, Marco frowned, seeing Nathan fight the Elite monster alone and even defeat it with a single strike. "He's really reckless," he muttered, shaking his head. "He's really going to make things harder for himself by showing off his strength like that."
Marco paused, reflecting on his thoughts. "Am I being too concerned for him? I mean, this is part of what makes him unique; he's willing to take on big and risky tasks with little thought to the potential consequences. If he didn't think this way, he'd never let me follow him," he said, chuckling.
The following video depicts Olivia and three other people engaging in battle with highly advanced monsters.
"Olivia has developed quite a notorious reputation," Marco stated, his gaze fixated on Olivia's fight. "I'm not a fan of her kind - she is certainly intelligent, though not as much as I possess. Nonetheless, her audacity and willingness to take on challenges is what sets her apart. And she is certainly no novice when it comes to potential. Even so, I'm still not convinced that Muramoto is dating this peculiar girl."
He shook his head in disbelief. "She looks so innocent and naive, her words are almost too good to be true. But I can't help but be repulsed by her - I'm so frustrated with her that I almost wish I could teach her a lesson."
"Now!" Marco exclaimed, deep in thought, as he considered the various possibilities. "Could Pascal be referring to Olivia's presence in this pocket dimension? I'm guessing Lily followed her in a desperate attempt to rescue her stepbrother, while Lewis is just an annoying nuisance that needs another lesson. The last person is merely a powerless mage."
Marco felt a sense of dread as he contemplated the potential outcomes of the situation that was unfolding before him. "So..." he spoke hesitantly. "I'm assuming this is why Pascal allowed Olivia and the rest of them to enter the pocket dimension."
He sighed heavily. "She's really dumb. The most idiotic individual I've ever known. And yet, her foolishness is highly praised."
Marco wanted to speed up the video he was watching, but he forced himself to stay focused and thoughtfully examine every frame. He pursed his lips as he considered the implications of what he saw. "I'm guessing the pocket dimension is designed to adjust to the difficulties based on the people who are in it," he muttered, his brow furrowed in concentration.
Marco slowly pondered, "I can't be wrong," as he strove to analyze all the potentials and ideas that were racing through his mind.
After thoroughly evaluating the most likely option, he muttered quietly, "Pascal is a person who is an idealist, and has a strong sense of pride for New Earth, someone who desires to see the people of New Earth blossom and even surpass Yunatea."
He stopped for a moment, then queried, "Could this have something to do with the god apostle?"
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