Ratmen?
The moment they saw the ratmen, everyone tensed up—but soon realized these ones were… different from the ones they'd seen on the surface.
How to describe it… they looked cleaner, and not nearly as savage. Their fur was snow-white, even giving them a strangely cute appearance.
To put it simply—if the Skaven ratmen looked like filthy, disgusting sewer rats, then these ones were more like lab mice.
At least they looked clean and pretty.
"Don't come any closer, squeak!"
"If you move again, we'll bite you, squeak!!"
Their bluffing tone made everyone speechless.
"Hmph."
Duanmu Huai snorted coldly and took a single step forward. The white ratmen trembled at once, raised their heads to look at him—and the next second, they shrieked in terror and bolted into the jungle like frightened rabbits.
"So those were ratmen? Bambi doesn't think they're scary at all."
Bambi lay sprawled on Duanmu Huai's shoulder, curiously watching the retreating ratmen. It wasn't strange that she felt that way—compared to the Skaven ratmen she and Lorena had faced in Mordheim, these ones were indeed quite different. They were smaller, and though still mouse-like, they lacked the Skaven's grotesque ugliness.
Of course, that was only their appearance. Duanmu Huai wasn't naïve enough to trust a bunch of rats just because they looked cute.
And besides… maybe these ones were somehow related to the Skaven.
After all, the true origins of the ratmen were still debated. Aside from a few vague legends, no solid proof existed. Judging by this World Fragment, though it was unclear which era it came from, it had to be far older than the first Skaven sightings. Perhaps… these white rats were the ancestors of the Skaven.
"Anyway, let's keep moving."
Duanmu Huai glanced around, then gave the order.
Under his lead, the group made their way toward the towering golden tree in the distance. He didn't know what kind of place this was, but that enormous tree definitely wasn't ordinary. If they reached it, they might uncover some answers.
Along the way, they encountered many animals—this underground forest was truly a paradise for wildlife. Creatures of all kinds scurried about, though none were as exotic as the prehistoric monsters from Journey to the Center of the Earth. Squirrels, hedgehogs, and moles were everywhere instead. But the moment they sensed the aura of fear radiating from Duanmu Huai, they vanished instantly.
"This place really is fascinating."
Perhaps because they hadn't met any enemies, the girls relaxed and began admiring the scenery with curiosity. For most of them, this was their first time seeing a lush underground jungle.
"Ah, how annoying. Bambi wanted to play with the little birds here."
She pouted as another flock of birds perched on a branch took off in panic.
"If Master weren't here, the animals probably wouldn't be afraid."
Aubis, as usual, offered her sharp but tactless comment, casually stabbing Duanmu Huai in the ego.
"We're not here for sightseeing," he replied dryly, tapping Aubis on the head.
"Well, it's for the best. Saves us a lot of trouble."
Whether small animals liked him or not didn't matter. Worst case, he could just make a Soul Card of one later.
As they talked, the group pushed through the forest and reached an open grassland.
"Ah, Sir Knight, there seems to be a building over there!"
Lorena suddenly pointed ahead. Following her finger, Duanmu Huai saw what looked like a monastery on a distant slope. The group quickly changed course and headed that way.
Thunk… thunk… thunk…
Just as they reached the base of the hill, a series of heavy hoofbeats echoed. A knight appeared before them, wielding a poleaxe in one hand and a massive shield in the other. Both he and his horse were clad head-to-toe in shining golden armor.
Well… one thing was clear—he looked very rich.
"Perfect. Maybe we can ask him for directions."
Duanmu Huai raised a hand in greeting.
"Hey, brother—"
Before he could even finish the sentence, the golden knight suddenly spurred his horse forward and charged straight at him! The warhorse reared high, and the knight swung his poleaxe down toward Duanmu Huai's head!
The hell?! You attack without warning? What kind of knight are you?!
Startled, Duanmu Huai didn't back down. The knight was huge and heavily built—but so was Duanmu Huai. In fact, even standing on foot, he was nearly as tall as the mounted knight.
So when the golden knight struck, Duanmu Huai roared and slammed forward, driving his shoulder into the horse's belly. The impact sent both horse and rider crashing to the ground.
The knight rolled deftly aside, avoiding his fallen steed, then swung his poleaxe again in a wide arc. But before the blade could connect, Duanmu Huai caught it barehanded.
"Can't you listen when people talk?!"
He gripped the weapon and stepped forward, delivering a brutal kick that launched the golden knight like a catapulted rock. The knight hit the ground hard—but even then, he tried to rise for another attack.
Too bad for him. Duanmu Huai grabbed the dead horse and slammed it down on him.
BOOM!
The impact thundered through the air. The horse gave a final, pitiful cry before it and its rider both crumbled into dust and vanished.
Only the poleaxe remained, embedded upright in the dirt as proof of the battle.
"What… just happened?"
The girls gathered around, staring in disbelief.
"Looks like this place really isn't normal."
Duanmu Huai brushed his hands off, picked up the poleaxe, and examined it before showing it to the others.
"Seen anything like this before?"
If this place belonged to the same era as the surface world, someone might recognize the design.
"Um… I'm sorry, Sir Knight," Lorena said after studying it carefully. "I've never heard of anything like this underground."
"I don't know either," Odelle added, shaking her head. As a noblewoman of Manaria, she was well-educated—if even she had no idea…
"Ah, but Bambi's heard Her Majesty mention something like this before!"
That unexpected voice made everyone turn toward the little vampire.
"You've heard of it?"
"Mm-hmm!" Bambi nodded enthusiastically. "Bambi remembers the Queen saying there was a very powerful underground realm somewhere, and that it had a great golden tree in it…"
"Then that must be it."
Duanmu Huai looked once more toward the distant golden tree, its radiant glow making it seem as though it truly was made of gold.
Every World Fragment was the echo of something destroyed in reality. If this fragment existed, it meant the real version of this world had already perished.
So… how had it been destroyed?
And what connection did it have to the Skaven ratmen?
He pondered for a moment, then shook his head.
"Anyway, let's keep moving."
After defeating the inexplicable golden knight, the group climbed the slope and reached the monastery. Sadly, it was a ruin. Though its outer walls still stood, the roof and ceilings had collapsed, leaving only crumbling pillars and rubble.
The place was completely deserted.
"We'll rest here for the night," Duanmu Huai decided after checking his helmet display. Even underground, time seemed to flow normally. The golden tree's light above was dimming, making it glow even more brightly against the dark—like a giant neon sign in the night.
No one objected. The girls were exhausted—especially after the whole rat incident earlier—and quickly sat down to rest.
But just then, Duanmu Huai turned his head toward a nearby thicket.
"You've been following us for quite a while," he said flatly. "Might as well come out now."
The girls froze in surprise, except for Aubis, who kept calmly reading her book. The bushes rustled for a moment—and then, a small figure stepped out.
It was a petite girl wearing a frilled dress like a princess's gown, with bits of armor attached. She held a thin rapier in her hand. The most striking features, though, were the round mouse-like ears on her head and the long, thin tail swaying behind her.
"Greetings, uninvited intruders," she said, fixing her eyes on Duanmu Huai.
"I am Milfi, princess of the Spirit mice Tribe. May I ask what business brings you to this cursed land?"
(End of Chapter)