The Land of the Behemoth, originally established as a personal larder for the creature.

  Whenever it descended upon a village, it would feast until it was full, then sweep the remaining survivors into this pocket dimension. Before it was finally slain by Apollo, it had consumed over a dozen villages, slaughtering nearly ten thousand people.

  In the beginning, those trapped within the Land of the Behemoth lived in a state of constant terror. Every so often, the creature would return to its larder and devour a dozen or so of them. It wasn't a picky eater; men, women, the elderly, children—it ate whoever it could catch.

  Some tried to escape, only to find the entire domain was surrounded by a dense, impassable field of Mawflowers. With no other choice, they resigned themselves to eking out an existence in their own pasture.

  Then one day, the Behemoth vanished.

  The monstrous creature never returned.

  For the people trapped inside, the goal slowly shifted from mere survival to finding a way back to their old world. A new generation of warriors rose from among them. They began to hone their skills against the weaker beasts of the land, awakening latent abilities in the process.

  Only when they believed they were strong enough did they dispatch an expedition of champions into the Behemoth’s Sanctum at the center of the realm. They were certain the way out was hidden within.

  But the first hundred warriors who entered were never heard from again.

  Some said they fell in battle inside the Sanctum. Others whispered that they had found a way out and abandoned everyone else.

  A decade later, another hundred champions were sent. The result was the same: utter silence.

  Learning from this, the community decided to train a much larger force for the next attempt. This time, a few actually made it back alive. They brought with them harrowing tales of the Behemoth's powerful spirit that now guarded the Sanctum.

  After that, expedition after expedition was sent in, and with each attempt, more people returned alive. But a true breakthrough remained elusive.

  They didn't know it, but the real danger was never from the outside. It was festering from within.

  As the last of the first-generation elders passed away, a new generation, born and raised entirely within the Land of the Behemoth, began to take control. A new ideology started to spread through the village.

  "I was born in the Land of the Behemoth. This is my home."

  "The Behemoth wasn't evil. It was our creator, our god."

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  "Without the Behemoth, we wouldn't exist."

  "Protect the Sanctum!"

  "The shrine must not be defiled!"

  At first, this was a fringe belief. But as the third and fourth generations came of age, it became the dominant voice. In the early days, the faction known as the Exodus Faction held all the power, and the Nativists could do little more than grumble. But as time wore on, the friction between the two groups intensified, festering into open conflict.

  Organizing expeditions to the Behemoth's Sanctum met with more and more resistance.

  The last attempt had been sixty years ago.

  As the Elder finished his history lesson, the group stared in disbelief.

  Hazel’s voice was thick with indignation. "The people who worship the Behemoth are insane! How can you deify the very monster that imprisoned and slaughtered your own ancestors?!"

  Kael just shook his head. It didn’t surprise him at all. People could rationalize anything.

  The Elder's long-winded story was starting to wear on him. Kael cut him off. "Elder, how do we counter the Breath of Apollo?"

  The Guardian Elder sighed, a deep, weary sound. "In that last expedition sixty years ago, three hundred went in. Only twenty of us came back. Today... I am the only one left. The young have lost their fire. There are fewer and fewer willing to fight. I fear once I am gone, no one will ever dare to challenge the Sanctum again."

  His gaze sharpened, locking onto Kael's with sudden, fierce resolve. "I'm going with you. These past sixty years haven't been wasted. I've developed a few countermeasures. Let's hope the legacy of Apollo you carry is enough to withstand its Breath."

  Finally, the notification Kael and the others had been waiting for popped up.

  [System: The Guardian Elder of Behemoth's Watch has decided to accompany you into the Behemoth's Sanctum.]

  "Yes!" the others cheered.

  "Before we go," the Elder said, "you should stock up on supplies in the village. Oh, and you have Mawflower seeds, correct? You can trade with those."

  The idea that Mawflower seeds were the local currency caught them all by surprise. They had collected over two hundred of them clearing a path to the village. Kael wondered what they were worth.

  Lila, Rena, and the others immediately bolted for the shops.

  Kael started to follow, then paused and turned back to the Elder. "The Mawflowers surrounding this place… you planted them?"

  The Elder let out a heavy sigh but said nothing.

  Kael knew he was right. The very plants that had once been their prison walls were now their training grounds, their defense… maybe even their food. Those strange-looking plants growing in the vegetable patches were probably a domesticated variant of Mawflower.

  When Kael reached the main store, he heard shouts of amazement.

  "Whoa! A potion that gives a temporary +100 to Constitution costs only five seeds!" Hazel exclaimed.

  "A mana potion that instantly restores 20,000 MP is only two seeds?!" Rena followed up. "Damn, they only have five of them! That's not nearly enough!"

  By the time Kael got a look, most of the high-tier items had been cleared out. They browsed the other stalls, discovering that everything on offer was incredibly useful. In the end, everyone managed to acquire a significant amount of combat supplies.

  Kael's personal haul included:

  One draught that granted +100 Constitution, one for +100 Strength, and one for +100 Dexterity, all lasting for one hour.

  A runic charm that provided a +2000 physical and magical defense buff for two hours.

  Five potions that instantly healed 20,000 health.

  The others had all received similar upgrades.

  Fully stocked, the team reassembled by the Elder's side. He had changed his attire. He now wore flowing green mage robes and held a gnarled staff, his entire demeanor sharpened with purpose.

  With a sweep of his hand, the Elder cast a spell. Kael and the others felt their bodies grow lighter as a gentle breeze swirled around their feet. Their movement speed had increased.

  Just as they were about to set off for the Sanctum, Captain Simbra appeared, blocking their path. Behind him stood a wall of several hundred villagers, their eyes burning with open hostility.