Team Test [III]

The air was extremely dry here.

So much so that it burned in our throats and chests every time we inhaled. It felt like breathing in sandpaper, scratching at our lungs.

This made running or doing any heavy exercise in these harsh surroundings even more difficult.

We couldn't perform anywhere near our optimum physical condition.

My squad suspected the cause of this was these black trees with crimson leaves all around us.

And they were right.

These trees were not ordinary. 

It wasn't just the dryness — they seemed to be releasing something subtle yet oppressive into the atmosphere.

A toxin.

Yes, the dry air was filled with toxins, carrying a faint metallic tang like that of rusted blood.

In the game, this toxin was discovered to be a substance called Aethylorine.

Aethylorine was a naturally occurring alchemical compound that was produced by various plants in the Spirit Realm.