Hutson's gaze followed Robert's finger, settling on the entrance of the narrow gorge, the point where One Line Sky opened into the valley.
"Why did he die here?"
He pondered the question but did not immediately step forward.
Something about the squirrel's frantic chatter earlier unsettled him. Animals had sharp instincts—often, their cries served as warnings.
Of course, it could have simply been alerting its kind to the presence of strangers.
Still, Hutson chose caution.
"AI chip, scan the surroundings for anomalies."
A silent moment passed as his mystical interface processed the command.
"No anomalies detected."
"No magical energy detected."
"No residual mana traces."
…
Hutson reviewed the findings.
Everything appeared normal.
His gaze lingered on the mountain pass before he finally stepped forward, crossing the threshold into the gorge.
Nothing happened.
No shift in energy. No sudden movement.
