"You’re holding the knife, and I’m just the fish on the chopping block. It seems whether I agree or refuse isn’t really up to me," Ciaran began, but Adrian cut him off.

"That’s not entirely true," Adrian said, his tone sincere. "We had our dispute earlier, but now, with humanity facing such a great peril, we’re more helpless than ever before. If we can survive, we should. Follow your heart—if you want to go, we’ll go together."

Adrian looked at Ciaran with genuine expectation. He knew that having someone as meticulous as Ciaran by his side would increase their chances of survival in the Purple Forest Marsh.

In truth, Adrian had been testing Ciaran earlier. Before coming here, Adrian had spoken with local hunters about the deeper parts of the Purple Forest Marsh. These hunters, who had spent their lives navigating the marsh, had inevitably ventured into its depths and shared rumors about what lay within.

A careful person like Adrian wouldn’t overlook such details. The hunters mentio