<h4>Chapter 870: Twelve Years</h4>


    On an ancient road where yellow sand danced in the wind, Sein stood with a dry, thorned wooden vine in hand, gazing into the distance.


    A shimmering blue oasiske stretched before him and Reina, its shores teeming with a dozen or so ck-skinned rhinos, quietly drinking from the waters.


    “I didn’t expect to find a desert in a low-level hydro elemental ne,” Sein remarked, pointing toward the oasis with the wooden vine.


    “And those rhinos seem to have undergone adaptive evolution. They’re quite different from the other rhinoceros-like creatures we’ve seen,” he added.


    Unbeknownst to them, twelve years had passed since Sein and Reina first set foot in Aqua Rhino World.


    From beachy regions to the deep seas, rainforests, grasnds, and now this desert straddling the extreme west and north of Aqua Rhino World, they had traversed nearly the entire world in a wide arc.


    In the initial years, Sein had immersed himself in studying and collecting the countless novelties and specimens Aqua Rhino World offered.


    But after three years of fervent collection, with thousands of animal and nt specimens cataloged, his enthusiasm for this process began to wane.


    Rather than leave Aqua Rhino World, Sein chose to stay and continue exploring with a new perspective.


    Sometimes, the pursuit of truth did not require meticulous research.


    Being close to nature, feeling its rhythm, and experiencing its diversendscapes and elemental energy could also lead to growth—a realization Sein had onlye to understand in recent years.


    Perhaps this shift in perspective stemmed from studying treasures imbued with the power ofws or from Lorianne’s teachings over the years.


    Regardless of the cause, Sein was certain that this approach to travel and discovery was the right one.


    He absently touched his chest, his solid and powerful physique reflecting his life level.


    Though the past decade had brought minimal increases in focus, mana, and constitution levels, Sein had significantly grown in other ways.


    “I’ve heard from Master Lorianne that nar light aids Magus World creatures in growth, development, and perception ofws, paving a direct path up to the demigod realm. The bottleneck I’m facing now is likely due to advancing too quickly, leaving my foundation unstable,” Sein mused aloud.


    “It may also be due to that nar light within me. Perhaps it allows me to perceive the differences between thews of foreign nes and those of the Magus World more clearly than other knights or mages at my rank,” he added.


    Sein’s ability had first shown itself during his earlier participation in internar wars.


    At the time, he had been fully immersed in the chaos of battle, with no one to share such observations with, and he himself had not paid much attention to them.


    It was not until his time in Aqua Rhino World that Sein truly became aware of this capability.


    While the stark differences in thew environments between Aqua Rhino World and Magus World had provided Sein with valuable insights, the same could not be said for Reina, the Rank Two female knight apanying him.


    To her, Aqua Rhino World was simply a hotter, more humid ne dominated by rhinoceros-like creatures.


    Any deeper revtions were lost on her; her primary interesty in the local cuisine, especially the meat.


    Nevertheless, Reina found the experience of exploring a foreign ne refreshing.


    It was her first internar travel, and everything felt novel.


    As someone who was not particrly curious and active, Reina was content to follow Sein wherever he went.


    As long as she was not starved, this life of exploration seemed enjoyable enough.


    Sein, contemtive as ever, observed the distant ck rhinos with their distinctive humps.


    The biological strength of Aqua Rhino World’s species was remarkablepared to other nes, thanks to the governance and nurturing efforts of the Tower Master of Wooden Rhino.


    Though Sein had not encountered the powerful Rank Four Aqua Rhino King during his travels, he had interacted with many Rank One, Two, and even Three rhinoceros creatures.


    Using the ordinary magic potions he crafted, Sein traded with the intelligent inhabitants of Aqua Rhino World, obtaining unique specialty resources in return.


    With wisdom, determination, and perseverance, any Magus World traveler could often recoup the cost of teleportation to a foreign ne through trading.


    Sein, for instance, had amassed a wealth of specimens and rare resources over the years.


    If he were to sell these items for magicoins upon his return to Magus World, the profits would undoubtedly be substantial.


    However, Sein had no intention of selling his finds.


    For him, the specimens and resources were far more valuable as subjects for research and additions to his collection.


    The night sky of Aqua Rhino World was filled with stars.


    This low-level ne’s most remarkable natural phenomenon was its three bright moons, which not only illuminated thendscape but also caused unusually abundant tidal forces.


    The campfire burned brightly, grilling the meat with a delicious sizzle. The rich aroma wafted into the air, drawing the attention of a few Humped ck Rhinos grazing nearby.


    In Aqua Rhino World, most of the rhinoceros creatures were omnivorous.


    “Humped ck Rhino” was the name Sein hade up with for these oasis-dwelling creatures.


    Reina’s grilling and culinary skills were as exceptional as her formidable appetite.


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    Over the twelve years they had spent in Aqua Rhino World, Reina had prepared more than two-thirds of Sein’s meals.


    Gathered around the campfire with Reina and Sein were Yuri and the fox maiden, whom Sein had released from their space pendants for the evening.


    The possession of spatial storage equipment capable of transporting living beings allowed Sein and Reina to bringpanions along and reduce some expenses when using teleportation arrays.


    Sein, with his ample resources, did not concern himself with such minor costs.


    Besides, treating apanion like Reina as if she were a mere summoned object to be stowed away in spatial storage was pretty disrespectful.


    Yuri and the fox maiden, ustomed to the arrangement, did not mind staying in spatial storage, but Sein would not extend the same treatment to Reina.


    The prosperity of the Magus Civilization was never built on petty savings or clever shortcuts.


    The money Sein spent on teleportation arrays was not wasted; instead, it circted back into the Magus Civilization’s market, further invigorating its economy.


    At some point during his travel, Sein had begun reflecting on such broader matters.