Chapter 9: The Shifting Borders and the Arrival of the Divine

Following the descent of the gods, the world of Endi underwent immediate and drastic transformations. Supernatural forces emerged, manifesting as the power of elements, natural energies, and arcane magic. Creatures and monsters previously unknown to the world appeared, ranging from slimes, goblins, vampires, and werewolves, to the apex of monstrosity: the great dragons. Mythical realms once confined to legend—such as Hell, the Abyss, the Celestial Kingdom, and other dimensions—stepped into reality.

A "Common Tongue," created by the collective will of the gods, spread across the mortal realm. Regardless of race, anyone who spoke this language could be understood by another, as the divine tongue bridged all barriers of speech. This also unlocked the path of evolution for humanity. People began to explore the life energy that resided within every individual since the gods' arrival, discovering that through constant study and discipline, humans could grow increasingly powerful, and perhaps even ascend to godhood themselves.

Yet, the presence of the gods also brought chaos to the world. It is said that thousands of years ago, though there was no unified global government, major nations possessed vast territories. Wars between these powers often mobilized tens or hundreds of thousands of soldiers, with single battles turning rivers hundreds of meters wide into torrents of blood. Now, due to the gods' rivalry for faith and the subsequent proliferation of deities, the concept of a "nation" has shrunk significantly; a state formed by a dozen cities is now considered a major power. Instances where a battle resulting in a hundred casualties is recorded in national history books with grandiose detail have become commonplace.

There is, however, one exception: a region that remained entirely unchanged even after the gods descended—the Magic-Null Zone. Though dynasties within this zone rise and fall, they almost always consolidate into a vast, unified realm every two or three hundred years. Every such unified state within the Magic-Null Zone styles itself an Empire. Compared to the myriad small kingdoms outside, influenced by the gods, the unified states of the Magic-Null Zone are true empires, reportedly containing thousands of cities, each larger than most cities found beyond their borders. Jay, the man whom Li Rui had granted release with a single sword stroke, had never visited the Magic-Null Zone and had never seen what an empire looked like, so his knowledge of them ended there.

Following the descent of the gods, another unique phenomenon emerged: the "Territorial Shift." In certain locations—usually in wild, desolate mountains or the outskirts of small villages—the land would suddenly expand, shrink, or vanish into thin air. While contraction and disappearance were possible, the world as a whole was expanding, much like an inflating balloon. This had a profound impact on all life in Endi. Imagine leaving for work in the city by day, only to return home to your spouse at night, only to find a forest, lake, or canyon spanning tens or hundreds of thousands of square kilometers had appeared out of thin air between the city and the village. A single such event could alter the fate of cities and nations alike. Prosperous nations might collapse overnight, while destitute ones could rise to prominence, creating a ripple effect of chaos that spread through the surroundings.

The Empires within the Magic-Null Zone, however, never faced such troubles. This stability allowed for the existence of empires, whereas the world outside remained a collection of tiny kingdoms. Yet, this also imposed a limit on the Empire’s reach. Their territories could not expand like the lands outside, and because the people of the Empire grew up without access to supernatural powers, their armies were unable to defeat the forces of smaller kingdoms once they stepped outside the Magic-Null Zone. Thus, the Empires could never expand their borders. They lacked the capability to invade the outside world, and the outside world had no desire to invade them.

The Magic-Null Zone was simply too oppressive. Once someone entered its borders, even a legendary figure capable of slaying dragons would see their strength plummet to that of an ordinary mortal—and this effect was irreversible. Once one’s power was stripped away by the Magic-Null Zone, it could not be recovered even upon leaving; one would have to start from scratch and cultivate their strength anew. This created an invisible barrier around the zone; crossing it rendered anyone powerless.

With the broader context established, the focus shifted to the immediate surroundings. According to the memories gleaned from Jay’s knowledge of the Common Tongue, Li Rui learned that the forest he occupied was known as a "Low-Level Monster Forest." The world of Endi contained countless such forests categorized as low, medium, or high-level. As long as a forest remained diverse and was not dominated by one or two specific species, it retained these general titles. Once a certain species achieved dominance, rendering the area too dangerous for humans to enter, the forest would be named after that species, such as "Dragon Forest" or "Ogre Forest."

The classification of these levels depended on the threat the monsters posed to civilized society. To a town, monsters like slimes, goblins, or kobolds were considered low-level; unless they gathered in the hundreds or thousands, they were not worth the city gates being closed. Ogres and mind flayers, however, were deemed medium-level; even a gathering of fewer than a hundred could force a town to lock its gates and prepare for a siege. High-level monsters usually represented colossal beasts or true dragons; the mere presence of one could spell certain doom for a town, causing countless residents to flee in the night.

Returning to the matter at hand, the most vital piece of information Li Rui obtained from Jay’s memories was that human settlements lay to the south of this forest. Jay, an adventurer, had set out three days ago from a town called Golden Wheat Town. He had entered the forest with three companions, and after three days of travel, they encountered goblins. The tribe was relatively large, numbering over twenty, which pushed the party to their absolute limit. Two teammates fled mid-battle, leading to the death of their leader, Forest, and leaving Jay mortally wounded, ultimately leading to Li Rui granting him a final release.

"In other words, as long as I head south, I should be able to leave this forest soon," Li Rui thought, letting out a long sigh of relief.