The dim room was lit only by a single candle, its flickering shadow dancing uneasily on the walls.
Edin sat rigidly by the table, his expression as dark as water.
He stared intently at the mycelium spreading across his arm, the pale, slender threads deeply embedded beneath the skin, as if they had always grown there.
Nearby, an empty potion bottle lay quietly—that was the Rejuvenation Potion he had just drunk.
This rare potion, renowned for stimulating life potential and forcibly expelling foreign bodies, boasted remarkable effects, but its fifty gold coins price deterred most adventurers.
Yet for Edin, it was still affordable.
However, the result hit him like a blunt club on the chest. Ten minutes had passed since he drank the potion, and the mycelium on his arm remained unmoved, if not... more active?
"Useless! Absolutely useless!" Edin grabbed the empty bottle and smashed it to the ground!
The shattering glass was piercing in the deathly silence. He clutched his head with both hands, knuckles white from strain.
"Why is this happening? Why only ?"
Though he said this, Edin sowhat knew why he was parasitized—only he could easily hide the symptoms after being parasitized.
His illusion technique not only failed to help him escape, but instead beca the reason he was targeted by Puki!
What would he beco?
A corpse completely consud by mycelium?
A twisted "mushroom"?
He dared not think; any trace of thought sufficed to tighten fear like icy vines around his heart, squeezing the breath out of him.
The feeling... was identical to when he was chased in the Scarecrow Abyss back then!
And this ti, facing fear, he made the sa choice again—to escape.
Abandon everything!
What consequences, what lucrative compensation due the next day... to hell with it all!
He had only one thought in mind, like a drowning man craving air:
Run! Imdiately! Now!
Run far away from the Purple Crystal Dungeon, escape from Puki, just like escaping from the Scarecrow back then.
Edin hastily packed his belongings and almost stumbled out of the Guild.
The night sky was covered with heavy clouds, leaving only the faded outline of the three full moons to stingily cast a few faint rays of light.
Shops along the street were already shut, dead silent, with only a distant tavern spilling dim light and vague clamor.
A drunk lay slumped in a shadowy corner of the street, like a discarded sack of garbage.
Edin slipped into a deserted narrow alley, took a deep breath, and his figure quietly vanished into the night.
He planned to leave this town without a sound.
However, just as his foot stepped onto the path leading to wilderness, a sharp pain tore through his right leg!
"Ugh—!"
The invisibility shroud crumbled instantly, revealing Edin’s staggering form.
In horror, he looked down to see the dormant mycelium beneath the skin of his right leg writhing and swelling like awakened poisonous snakes!
The skin stretched shiny and nearly transparent, until with a soft "pop," a plump, wet mushroom forced its way out of his leg flesh, gently trembling its cap under the pale moonlight.
"Ha... haha, hahaha!"
The laughter was cold as ice, full of desperate epiphany; he felt as if he understood everything.
He had always been watched!
Those invisible eyes, or rather, the will of "Puki," had never left.
It could end him like squashing a bug at any mont.
The previous silence was just like a cat teasing a mouse under its paw, watching his futile struggle with interest, fleeing in fear, swallowing expensive potions in hope... only to quietly pin him back in place, unable to escape.
Facing the road to freedom ahead, he dared not take another step.
Standing there for an indeterminate length of ti, Edin finally, like a soulless shell, trudged back to the town’s street.
Passing the still buzzing tavern, warm yellow light spilled from the door cracks, mixed with the raucous laughter and clinks of adventurers’ mugs.
A few stray words, like icy steel needles, penetrated his ears:
"Haha, Pukis are quite nice, knowing to send you back whole!"
"Too bad that kid Jier didn’t have such luck, ended up losing a leg, and that money’s barely enough for him to find a corner to retire and wait for death."
"Tsk, don’t ntion him! Co, co, tonight’s on , drinks up!"
Those words of "good fortune" and "return" only filled him with irony and chill.
As Edin continued forward, the surrounding lights and sounds quickly receded, like a tide.
When he looked up again, he found himself outside the gate of the Purple Crystal Dungeon!
There, he saw a familiar figure.
Noticing soone approaching behind him, Shi Wu turned around, a gentle smile on his face, "Edin? Not resting well, what brings you here?"
Edin could feel Shi Wu’s sincerity; having been through battles together, this man saw him as a companion.
Edin hadn’t expected to et Shi Wu here.
He forced a smile, "Just can’t sleep. What about you? Why are you standing here alone?"
"I’m pondering," Shi Wu’s gaze returned to the dark entrance of the Dungeon, his voice lowering a bit, "Why did the Pukis let the subjugation team go? Back then, even for , continuing to fight wouldn’t guarantee getting out alive."
Edin’s smile grew more strained, but fortunately, tonight’s faint moon and stars, with shadows cast from trees, ant Shi Wu wasn’t always watching his face.
"Who knows... I heard Pukis always strip the fifth level’s unruly adventurers bare, maybe that’s it this ti?"
Or maybe they’re afraid of humans, wanting to show goodwill?"
Or perhaps... it just wanted to let out... This thought slid silently through Edin’s mind.
"Goodwill..." Shi Wu echoed pensively, then shrugged after a mont, relieved, "Never mind, whatever the case, it’s good that everyone survived."
He dusted off his clothes, ready to return to town.
Before leaving, he reminded, "Edin, don’t stay too long, head back to rest. Don’t forget Fa’er’s gathering everyone tomorrow, there’s matters to discuss."
"Got it." Edin replied.
Once Shi Wu’s figure completely disappeared along the road to town, another ten minutes passed before Edin, as if drained of energy, slid down the cold ground, leaning against a sturdy tree trunk.
Yes, being alive... is good...
This thought bore a bitter aftertaste.
He remained silent for a long ti, finally casting his gaze once more toward the Dungeon gate that lood like a giant beast in the night.
This ti, he didn’t resist, letting his spirit sink into the invisible consciousness network of countless mycelia, a new instinct that had silently grown since being parasitized and which he had intentionally repressed.
He knew there was no turning back after this, but... he just wanted to survive...
"King of Puki," his thoughts conveyed through the Fungal Network, "no need for pretenses, tell , what do you really want to do?"
After a brief silence, a voice with a strange rhythm responded directly in his mind:
"Edin Clar. From now on, you can call —’Boss.’"
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