Chapter 369 - Taming Trails

เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 มี.ค. 2569 07:40

"They've spotted us," Lin murmured, her hand gripping Ren's as she pulled him along. Her double enhanced speed gave her a significant advantage, and Ren's light frame wasn't much of a burden. "The 'magic forest' is close," Ren responded, his feet moving faster than they ever had before, yet his breathing remained controlled despite the exertion. "Once there, we'll have a greater advantage to lose the flyers." Lin nodded without slowing her pace. Her speed wasn't at maximum while pulling Ren; she also had to moderate her rhythm to avoid pushing him too hard. Even so, they moved considerably faster than any average pursuer could manage. Her crane and panther beast combination gave her extraordinary velocity. The edge of the magic forest finally appeared, a luminescent line beginning with the Iron ring. Behind them, the sound of different horns indicated that the patrols were organizing to avoid losing them. "We've made it," Lin encouraged, giving Ren's hand one final tug as they crossed the invisible border between the normal forest and the beast-inhabited woods. The density of trees rapidly increased, and with it, their cover. The foliage blocked visibility, creating a maze of light and silhouettes. Shadows and light danced as the glowing trees swayed gently in the night breeze, creating a disorienting effect. "Now it's my turn to lead," Ren announced, releasing himself from Lin's grip to take the front position with no hesitation as he navigated the increasingly complex terrain. Although slower than her in open terrain, within the forest the situation changed dramatically. His perfect knowledge of the ecology allowed him to develop routes that no local expert could match. The mushrooms in his hair brightened slightly, illuminating the path immediately ahead while also enhancing his perception. "Step exactly where I step," he ordered, his eyes gleaming with the reflection of mana and his mushroom working double time. Lin obeyed without questioning, following Ren's footsteps precisely. She observed with amazement as the young man navigated the forest with impossible speed, moving through the dangerous undergrowth as confidently as if he were running across the plains. Natural traps, invisible to normal eyes, were evident to Ren. He could distinguish the subtle patterns in the ground that indicated the presence of a Night Excavator tunnel, or the slight variation in the intensity of the trees' glow that signaled the proximity of Hypnotic Frogs. "To the left," Ren murmured, veering abruptly. "Three long steps, then two short ones." His instructions were precise, passing just next to the danger leaving no room for interpretation or error. Errors for their enemies to make. Far behind, the occasional sounds of pursuers falling into traps that they had so easily avoided were heard by the forest fauna. Startled cries echoed as some were hypnotized, followed by the unmistakable melodic croaking of Hypnotic Frogs. A dull thud when a tracker suddenly descended into a hidden hole. Each mishap bought them precious time and distance. "The flyers have already caught up to us; they must be following the approximate route they saw us take," Lin warned, catching the sound of wings beating above the treetops with her panther ears. "It doesn't matter; they'll just observe the escape route to the border in circles while they don't see us directly," Ren responded confidently, never breaking stride. Indeed, as they advanced through areas where the glowing trees interlaced their branches, forming an impenetrable canopy, the sounds of aerial pursuit gradually faded. ♢♢♢♢ In record time, they reached an area that Ren instantly recognized… The great dead tree, twisted like a claw emerging from the earth, marked the entrance to the underground tunnel, the site of his first encounter with the golden mushrooms that had helped change his life. Except it no longer appeared dead. "What is...?" Lin stopped short behind Ren, who froze observing the transformation. The tree, previously dry and black, now overflowed with life. Its branches, once bare, were covered with golden moss that pulsed with its own light. The ground around the tree had also changed, converted into a living carpet of similar fungi. The entire clearing glowed with a warm, amber radiance that seemed to breathe in rhythm with some unseen heartbeat. "The golden spores have reached outside," Ren murmured, immediately recognizing the ancient organisms that had nearly consumed him a year earlier. "They've spread more than I expected." Fascination and caution warred in his expression as he surveyed the transformed landscape. Ren had thought that underground the fungi would have captured a few Night Excavators... But they hadn't just completely conquered the area around the tunnel; they appeared to be advancing toward the deeper rings of the forest. The fungi closest to the tunnel were small, some reaching the size of the first one Ren had obtained, while those at the periphery grew progressively larger as they approached the next ring. "It seems they're seeking greater mana concentration," Ren theorized, observing the growth pattern. "This area is too poor for them." The beating of wings interrupted his observations. Quickly, both hid under a nearby tree as a winged figure passed over the clearing dominated by the fungi. "It seems they're not just guarding the exit on the other side of the border; they followed our escape route quite deep... They've stopped directly above the clearing these fungi dominate," Lin whispered. "It appears these fungi caught their attention as much as mine." Ren rapidly evaluated his options. He needed to collect ten small fungi for his Silver evolution and if possible 100 for Gold, but now he wasn't sure if it was worth risking collecting several small ones in this exposed clearing or venturing toward the Bronze ring where the fungi would be larger and more potent. Before he could decide, another flyer joined the first, both circling with evident fascination above the bright clearing. "It seems the first one notified others of its discovery... The ground trackers have it more difficult, but the beasts here are weak for them, so despite altercations, they won't take long to reach us," Lin warned, her expression tense. Her eyes constantly scanned their surroundings, assessing escape routes. "We need to move now." Ren nodded, making his decision. "We'll go around the clearing. We'll head toward the Bronze ring through the densest part of the forest to maintain our advantage and prevent the flyers from finding us." Just as they prepared to move… Ren's small mushroom, which until now had remained quietly in his body, suddenly separated. With a quick jump that neither of them expected, the creature disappeared into a small hole in the ground before them. The action was so swift and decisive that they barely registered it until the mushroom was gone. "What the hell...?" Lin began, but Ren was already smacking his forehead with the palm of his hand, the gesture comically exasperated despite their precarious situation. "Of course this would happen," he muttered with resignation. "It always does whatever it wants..." A sound of twigs breaking in the distance reminded them of their precarious situation. The trackers were closing in, their movements becoming less cautious as they gained confidence in their pursuit. "What now?" asked Lin, looking alternately between the hole and the surrounding forest. Ren sighed deeply. "We follow the little troublemaker." Without more viable options, both launched themselves toward what appeared to be the abandoned entrance of a Night Excavator tunnel. The hole was larger than it initially seemed, enough for them to slip inside without too much difficulty.

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