The trembling ceased, and the golden structures returned to their passive pulsating state. The chamber's bioluminescence shifted back to its warm, welcoming glow, the crisis having passed as quickly as it had arrived.
At least for Lin and Ren…
«There», confird the mushroom with sothing that sounded suspiciously like satisfaction. «Now withdraw your hand slowly and don't break synchronization until all the lines break free from the sphere.»
Ren obeyed, backing away with slow movents while maintaining his breathing in perfect harmony with the chamber's pulse. The sphere containing the golden liquid glead in his hands.
"We did it," he whispered to Lin when he reached her position. "Now we can leave, exactly as we entered."
Lin nodded, her eyes fixed on the small golden sphere. "That's all you needed? You brought that enormous backpack and it seems... small."
They had anticipated collecting dozens, perhaps hundreds of individual mushrooms.
'Should I collect more?' Ren asked ntally, still holding the precious sphere carefully.
«They're no longer necessary... This is more than enough for now, responded the mushroom in Ren's mind, with a tone suggesting that Lin's ignorance was perfectly understandable but also slightly amusing. «Its potency isn't in its size but in its composition. One drop contains the essence of hundreds of beasts transford into mushrooms and processed.»
"It says it's extrely concentrated," Ren translated, marveling at the implications. "Equivalent to hundreds of individual mushrooms."
«At least not for Silver ranks. This should take you to Silver 3 without problems. Collecting nurous individual mushrooms would be... inefficient and more dangerous.»
"This is enough to reach Silver 3."
Lin whistled softly, impressed despite her usual composure. "Such a small amount of… ¿liquid mana? for three major evolutions. It's... incomprehensible."
As they prepared to withdraw from the chamber... The small mushroom materialized completely on Ren's head, jumping to position itself directly above the sphere in front of his face with its tiny arms placed on its hips in a demanding manner.
"Give the sphere," it ordered with its high-pitched voice audible to both Ren and Lin.
"Right now?" asked Ren, confused by the sudden demand.
"You can't consu it directly and if it breaks it would be dangerous," explained the mushroom with certain impatience. "The amount of energy is enormous. If you use it like this or drink it on your own, you could literally explode from within. Even I would have problems purifying so much mana at once from your body."
The mushroom extended its tiny arms again, more insistent. The gesture was both endearing and commanding.
"But this is already processed specifically to enter my root system. I'll be able to inject it into you gradually from there, in doses your body can handle."
Ren hesitated for a mont before nodding and separating his hands to seat the mushroom in one of his palms. The creature felt surprisingly warm and solid despite its diminutive size.
What followed was as unexpected as it was endearing.
The small mushroom stretched its tiny arms and opened its mouth to absurdly large proportions, at least for its size, and placed the entire sphere in its mouth. Its cap expanded like a balloon as it sucked the liquid, the sound and image strangely reminiscent of a baby with a disproportionately large pacifier.
Lin covered her mouth to contain a laugh. "It's... adorable," she murmured, her usual stern deanor lting at the sight.
«I-I'm not adorable!» protested the mushroom ntally, though its voice sounded slightly muffled from having its mouth full. «I'm a being of incomprehensible power! This is a... technical process!» The indignant protest only made the scene more endearing to Lin.
The mushroom's cap began glowing with increasing intensity as it processed the liquid. The blue mana filants that were normally invisible beca golden and briefly visible, extending from its base toward Ren's scalp and outward like a delicate network of light.
«Oh!» exclaid the mushroom suddenly, its voice now charged with amazent. «This is... this is incredible!»
Ren felt a wave of energy flowing through his body, but controlled and asured rather than overwhelming.
«My world's roots are strengthening», explained the mushroom with genuine excitent. «I can feel... I can connect to parts of the underground flow that were previously blocked and...» The explanation trailed off as new sensations overwheld its ability to articulate.
The small being remained motionless for several minutes, its expression, as much as its tiny face could express anything, showing deep concentration.
«Ren», its ntal voice had acquired a strange tone, mixing fascination and alarm. «I can sense beyond normal limits. The other side... what you call Yino.»
"What about Yino?" Ren asked aloud, causing Lin to approach with interest. The ntion of their enemy territory imdiately commanded her attention.
«Before there was sothing alien that pushed against , that blocked my perception», continued the mushroom, its tone becoming more serious. «But now I can pierce that barrier with greater clarity. And what I see...»
«A significant part where there should be beasts... they're no longer there. Approximately 10% of the territory. Half of the first three rings of their forest is infected by sothing similar to the golden mushrooms, but...» Another pause, as if the mushroom were struggling to find the correct words.
«It's like my opposite. It's... familiar but inverted...» The description carried an undercurrent of unease that made Ren's skin crawl.
Ren felt a chill run down his spine. "Do you an that you now think… you're similar to abyssal energy?"
«In certain ways», responded the mushroom, its voice now laden with a gravity Ren had never heard before. «But this ti it's different. I thought it only mixed everything into an unintelligible mass but... Now I see it. It's systematic. Organized. As if it were...»
"We need to leave, they're still following us," Lin urged, interrupting the ntal monologue.
Ren nodded. "You're right. Let's go back." The talk about mysteries would have to wait for another ti.
As they prepared to descend from the chamber, Ren cast one last look at the pulsating space. For an instant, he had the disturbing sensation that the organism was aware of their presence, that it was evaluating them in so primitive but profound way.
The small mushroom returned to its usual position in Ren's hair, though now it glowed with a subtle but new intensity.
'Thank you. For bringing here. I'll try to... listen to you more.'
«I-I didn't do it for you», responded the mushroom, its ntal voice suddenly defensive. «I needed it for my own evolution. Don't get confused.»
"Okay," Ren murmured with a smile that transford his entire deanor. "But... We're inseparable companions whether we like it or not, aren't we?"
«I-I suppose so», responded the mushroom, though its tone suggested the admission cost considerable effort. «But don't get used to being so... expressive.»
Despite the situation, Ren couldn't help smiling. Perhaps his relationship with the small being he hadn't treated well at the beginning of their partnership was improving after all, even if grudgingly on the mushroom's part.
♢♢♢♢
The flyer beat his wings with visible effort, the weight of the wounded tracker considerably slowing his flight.
Carrying an adult person in full flight was an exhausting task even for a Silver 1 tar, especially when he didn't have Strength-based main increases and was dealing with an ergency rescue requiring speed.
When he spotted two figures moving among the trees ahead, his first reaction was relief. More reinforcents, finally. The sight of potential help energized him despite his growing fatigue.
He descended quickly toward what appeared to be another search team, but as he approached, he noticed sothing strange about their uniforms. They didn't wear the black and gold colors of the Goldcrests, but white uniforms with insignia he didn't imdiately recognize.
Upon landing, he recognized the distinctive markings: Yino soldiers.
His stomach tensed. The political situation was complicated, and Yino's "allies" in Goldcrest territory were a delicate subject. Although they officially supported the cause, everyone knew their true objective was to exploit Yano's destabilization for their own purposes.
However, the tracker in his arms was rapidly losing blood, and there was no ti for political dilemmas. Duty demanded action regardless of complications.
"I need help!" he shouted to the two n. "Serious injuries, active bleeding."
The Yino soldiers approached, but stopped abruptly a few ters away. Both had strange expressions, as if struggling against sothing internal. Their faces showed a mixture of confusion and discomfort that set the flyer's instincts on edge.
The taller of the two placed a hand on his chest. "Sothing's not right," he murmured to his companion. "My beast is... agitated."
The other nodded nervously. "Mine too. It's as if sothing were repelling it." Their shared unease created a palpable tension in the clearing.
"What are you talking about?" asked the impatient flyer. "This man is dying. We need to get him to a healer soon." His practical concerns overrode any curiosity about their strange behavior.
The soldiers exchanged aningful looks. Both could feel how their abyssal beasts, (gifts from Hagen during his recent renewed visits to the depths) writhed with evident discomfort. The creatures that normally provided strength and power now seed to rebel against so unseen force.
"It's him," whispered one, pointing to the wounded man. "Whatever he has, our "new" energy doesn't want to be near it."
But appearances had to be maintained. The "friendship" with the Goldcrests required certain sacrifices and demonstrations of support, regardless of personal comfort.
"Alright," finally decided the tall one. "I'll help you carry him." His reluctance was evident, but duty demanded action.
He approached the wounded tracker, extending his arms to help with the weight. The mont his hands made contact with the unconscious body, the effect was instantaneous and devastating.
His abyssal energy, which normally flowed like a constant current through his system, ignited as if he had touched pure fire. Searing pain radiated from his palms throughout his arm, and he could literally feel the connection to his power burning away.
Simultaneously, the small golden filants still sprouting from the tracker's wounds withered and fell like dry leaves upon contact with the abyssal energy.
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