So the three of them set off at once, moving through valleys and forests where the scent of damp leaves hung thick in the air. Along the way, under rustling canopies of green and with sunlight breaking through the leaves in shifting patches, Max took the time to converse more deeply with Gayle and Rose.
It turned out to be a journey full of quiet revelations and exchanges of knowledge. From the siblings, Max learned countless details about the Hundred Battles Region—secrets of its terrain, the shifting alliances of the overlord forces, and stories of great battles and hidden dangers that lay in wait behind seemingly ordinary hills and rivers.
He soaked up the knowledge like a sponge, committing every tidbit to memory, knowing how crucial information could be in this ever-changing landscape of power.
