Ethan knew the surrounding area fairly well—every ridge and hollow carved into his memory from countless hours spent grinding.
In his past life, to complete the notorious quest for 1000 Titanite shards, he'd spent a considerable amount of time deep in Carnage Faction territory, dodging both monsters and rival players alike.
The abandoned mines nearby were where he had once dug for those very shards.
Not far from the mines lay a small town—likely the same one LongerThanLuffy had mentioned, the settlement to the north.
Pressing for time, Ethan shifted into Stag Form and bolted forward, hooves pounding against the earth. With no scenery worth admiring and the Stag's limited vision compared to Panther Form, he mostly kept his eyes shut, relying on instinct to avoid obstacles.
Every so often, he'd switch to Panther Form just long enough to reorient himself, ensuring he didn't slam into anything.
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