The theory held rit from a magical ecology perspective. Many epic-rank herbs derived their potency from environntal factors that exceeded normal paraters. A plant exposed to constant psychological turbulence might indeed develop enhanced properties, drawing power from the emotional energy that saturated its growing dium.
After a few monts of contemplation, Arthur decided to gather complete intelligence before making his decision on which area to tackle first. "Tell about the eastern and southern territories."
The golden beetle nodded its head as it accessed mories of the eastern domain. After a few seconds of pause, the beetle spoke.
"The eastern region is actually controlled not by a pack, but by a single beast," the beetle began, its tone carrying unprecedented gravity. "This creature is incredibly powerful, and seemingly even the Golden Manes and Laughing Death pack refuse to approach that area at all. The beast inside is simply too territorial; whoever enters its domain will die, without exception."
Arthur’s interest piqued. A creature that could intimidate both the Mane King and the Cackle Queen suggested power levels that were high.
"What kind of beast are we talking about?" Arthur inquired.
The beetle was being very vague.
"The Winter Beast," the beetle replied with obvious reverence mixed with terror. "It’s a creature of mammoth proportions—easily twice my size in every dinsion. Two massive horns protrude from its head like ivory spears, each one the size of what humans call a spear. But its size isn’t what makes it truly terrifying, master."
The beetle paused, gathering its thoughts as it accessed deeper, more disturbing mories.
"In its territory, the Winter Beast has created its own terrain entirely. While bones serve as the territorial markers for the hyenas, and claw marks define the Golden Manes’ domain, pure ice is the signature of the Winter Beast’s realm."
Arthur’s eyebrows rose with growing understanding.
"Its entire territory, spanning several kilotres in every direction, has been converted to permanent ice. Not natural winter conditions, master, but supernatural cold that defies the local climate entirely. Trees that should be green and vibrant are encased in ice so thick that sunlight cannot penetrate. The ground is frozen solid to depths that exceed normal. Even the air itself seems crystallised, creating an environnt that exists in perpetual winter regardless of external weather conditions."
Arthur’s eyes flashed with understanding and concern. To convert an entire territory to ice required power that exceeded normal capabilities entirely. The Winter Beast was most definitely operating at level twenty-five or higher and must have awakened its talent domain to create such a dramatic environntal transformation.
Domains were the hallmark of truly powerful entities—localised areas where reality itself bent to accommodate the wielder’s will. Within their domain, level twenty-five and above creatures gained substantial power amplification while simultaneously debuffing anyone who dared enter their territory uninvited.
Fighting a domain-wielding creature within its own territory was akin to challenging a shark within the sea. The environntal advantages, stat boosts, and capabilities made such encounters exponentially more dangerous than standard combat.
"The Winter Beast’s domain extends approximately five kilotres in all directions from its central lair," the beetle continued with obvious reluctance. "Any creature that enters experiences imdiate hypothermic effects that bypass normal cold resistance. Those with weak constitutions will find their bodies frozen before they can think."
"Has anyone ever survived entering its territory?" Arthur asked.
"Not to my knowledge, master. The Winter Beast doesn’t hunt beyond its domain boundaries, but anything that crosses into its realm simply... disappears. We occasionally find ice sculptures at the border, perfectly preserved creatures frozen in their final monts of terror. Whether these are warnings, trophies, or simply the natural result of its domain’s effects, I cannot say."
Arthur filed this information away for future consideration. The Winter Beast represented a significant challenge that would require careful preparation and tactical planning if he chose to engage it.
"And the southern territories?" Arthur prompted.
"The south leads toward the Grieving Hollow itself," the beetle replied with obvious unease that surpassed even its fear of the Winter Beast. "That region is... different. The very air becos heavy with sorrowful energy that affects the mind in ways that pure physical power cannot protect against."
The beetle’s ntal voice took on the quality of soone recounting nightmares that refused to fade.
"Creatures that venture into the south return heavily injured and on the brink of death, if they return at all."
Arthur listened with growing interest.
"Even superior-rank beasts avoid the Hollow’s imdiate vicinity unless they have compelling reasons to risk its influence," the beetle continued. "The sorrowful energy that emanates from that place doesn’t just cause temporary depression or lancholy—it seems to strip away hope itself, leaving victims with the crushing certainty that nothing they do will ever matter."
The beetle paused, its ntal voice carrying personal experience that colored its warnings.
"I once ventured within a kilotre of the Hollow’s outer boundaries, master. The experience... it showed visions of every failure I had ever experienced, every mont when my strength proved insufficient, every beetle I had failed to protect within my territory.
But worse than the mories were the certainties, absolute knowledge that I would continue failing, that my power was aningless, that existence itself was nothing but prolonged suffering without purpose or redemption."
Arthur found this description particularly intriguing. Effects that could induce existential despair suggested either residual magical contamination from so catastrophe or the presence of entities whose very existence did that, like Bloom.
"Unless you have your domain ready, you shouldn’t even consider entering that place," the beetle concluded, speaking from its experience and the warnings of other creatures rather than addressing Arthur’s specific capabilities. "The Hollow consus hope the way fire consus oxygen—completely and without possibility of recovery."
Arthur processed all this information, weighing the risks and potential rewards associated with each territorial option. The Golden Manes represented the most straightforward challenge—powerful pack hunters who relied on persistence and coordination rather than supernatural abilities.
The Laughing Death pack offered complexity that could be navigated with proper ntal defences. The Winter Beast presented possible domain-level opposition that required careful preparation. The Grieving Hollow represented unknown hazards.
With that assessnt complete, Arthur reached his decision.
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