Chapter 384: Eighty-Seventh Floor, Mystical Beast Treatment (4)

[Heal the mystical beast under the alchemist’s protection. Time remaining: 116 hours 35 minutes.]

I continued running for a little over two hours.

Contrary to my initial plan, I didn’t simply charge ahead thoughtlessly. My eyes swiftly scanned the surroundings.

I passed by ordinary things without pause, but now and then, peculiar flowers or unusual plants would catch my attention. An uncanny power emanated from them.

A green mushroom was speckled like a toadstool, and a faintly luminescent flower glowed with a pale gray light. I made sure to collect them.

Beyond that, I focused solely on the run.

Of course, such instances weren’t frequent. I only paused exactly three times.

In truth, I hadn’t set out intending to collect anything. They just stood out so prominently that I couldn’t bring myself to leave them behind.

When will I finally reach the edge?

Despite running for so long, there was still no end in sight. My breathing, which had remained steady and unstrained until now, grew slightly heavier. The forest was far more expansive than I had imagined.

Calling it a mountain range may be more accurate.

There weren’t any soaring peaks, but the terrain was filled with countless large and small hills. Altogether, they formed a rugged, uneven landscape.

Hmm. I haven’t been keeping a precise track of how far I have traveled, but I can estimate.

Taking my breaks into account, I had traveled about as far as a normal person traveling two days on foot. Even so, there was still no indication that the forest’s edge was anywhere close.

Sending my wind spirit to scout won’t work either.

Back on the eighty-fourth floor, I had relied on that trick to inspect the land outside of the Sea of Lava, but that wasn’t an option here.

The strange mist enveloping the entire forest caused some issues. Once the wind spirit drifted too far from my body, it could no longer push through the fog.

As more time passed, a vague sense of unease began to creep into my mind.

I had assumed the forest wasn’t endless, that I would eventually reach a boundary without much trouble. Perhaps I had been too eager with that assumption.

What am I supposed to do, then?

If the foggy forest stretched out in every direction, then my strategy was no different from searching for a needle in a desert.

Such a waste of time.

The more I dwelled on the worst possibilities, the more worried I grew. Perhaps I had made a mistake by rushing ahead so quickly. The strange presence had appeared during my careful exploration, so perhaps I was meant to wait for them instead.

There was a chance I had moved too fast, and the mysterious figure hadn’t been able to keep up.

No, I was making mountains out of molehills. I still had four days left. I should stick to the original plan and confirm whether or not there truly was an end to this forest.

Overthinking has always been one of my bad habits. When something can’t be solved with force, I tend to resort to it.

It probably stemmed from the fact that I wasn’t especially bright or wise. Often, I simply depended on the simplest, most efficient approach to solving an issue: fight and win.

At that moment, something entered my sensory field, which had been expanding as I advanced. A living creature, in motion.

Is it the mysterious presence from earlier? Whatever it is, I won’t let it escape this time.

I reacted instantly.

After transforming into lightning, I activated Flash Strike. The world around me screeched to a halt at a terrifying speed. Even the slowing flow of air was clearly perceptible.

To my one o’clock.

I kicked off the ground. I was a little tense after what had happened earlier, but this time, the target didn’t even react.

Something was different. My perception came not from my sight but from sensing subtle shifts in energy, and the creature hadn’t sensed me at all.

Not that it mattered.

Trees blurred past as my vision brightened. Between two slender trunks, I caught sight of an odd-looking lifeform. It was rotund and covered in coarse black fur that stuck out wildly in every direction. Thin limbs jutted out from beneath it and to the sides.

Huh? It looks familiar.

As I ran, I racked my memory, and the answer came to me.

Isn’t this like the soot sprites from a Smihibli film?

I didn’t recall their exact name, but the resemblance was uncanny.

It was a bit larger, roughly the size of a medium-sized dog. It was just a black puff of fur.

Regardless, the furball wasn’t doing anything of note. It was simply moving around.

I came to a stop in front of it. Since it was my first time encountering such a creature, I had to be cautious.

Tense, I released Flash Strike. Then, the furball slowly raised its gaze to meet mine. It didn’t have a visible mouth, but it still released a small, adorable sound.

“

Mew?”

𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Within a heartbeat, its round white eyes widened to the size of fists as all of its fur shot up. The strands weren’t sharp—or even deadly in the slightest. Up close, I could tell they were genuine strands of fur.

Startled, the creature toppled backward.

Although saying it toppled feels weird, considering how perfectly round it is.

Then, relying on its shape, it rolled away with surprising speed. Its arms and legs had already vanished.

Clearly, it was trying to flee. I wasn’t concerned, though, as I could catch it easily.

It definitely isn’t the same entity from earlier.

Its size alone confirmed that. The figure from before had been about the size of a small child, not a medium-sized dog. Though it had fur along its back, it was unmistakably humanoid in shape.

Even the way the previous figure ran was different. It had disappeared into the mist at a speed nearing Flash Strike, but I wouldn’t even need to go at my full speed to catch this one.

I jogged quickly over to the furball and seized it. I was wearing a gauntlet, but I layered a protective veil of mana over it just in case.

Good. None of its fur came off.

Given the limbs and the long fur, I had half expected it to lash out, but it didn’t. There was nothing remotely aggressive about it as it merely squirmed in my grasp.

“

Mew! Mew!

” the furball squealed.

It wasn’t threatening at all, just endearing. The way it wriggled reminded me of the first time I caught Mung-chi.

Back then, it had tried to attack me, so Ha Hee-Jeong had shaken it until it passed out. This one didn’t require such treatment.

“What are you?”

“

Meeeew!

”

It couldn’t speak. I could communicate with Mung-chi, but whether this one understood me at all was uncertain.

Is it just a wild animal native to this forest?

That seemed plausible. Still, I couldn’t let it go, not after finding it after two days’ worth of running away from the safe area.

After some thought, I came to a decision.

I would take it to Cho-Yeon, since she would likely uncover something. Transporting it wouldn’t be an issue either, since I could open a portal to get there and return right after.

Doing just that, I teleported to the cabin.

***

[Heal the mystical beast under the alchemist’s protection. Time remaining: 116 hours 29 minutes.]

What is this?

As soon as I stepped from the portal, a strange yet familiar sensation swept over me.

It was odd since I hadn’t felt anything like it when I was first summoned here.

Is it just because I went out and came back in?

I couldn’t be sure.

Regardless, the land was brimming with life, and it welcomed me back as if it had been waiting.

Should I say it feels like returning home? Not exactly, I guess.

It felt more like someone was quietly acknowledging my return and lightly congratulating me.

It was a pleasant feeling. There were even noticeable benefits. My divinity was recovering at a slightly faster pace.

On the other hand, the furball didn’t seem to share the sentiment.

“

Mew! Meeew!

”

Its cries grew louder, and it twitched more frantically. Still, something about it had changed.

Its fur, which had previously bristled outward, now curled inward as if recoiling. It was probably because it had come from that eerie, lifeless forest.

The mystical beast inside the cage remained asleep, and Cho-Yeon was nowhere in sight.

However, I could sense her presence. My Aura let me know she was moving inside the cabin.

She is coming out now.

Even if she wasn’t the strongest, she had to have sensed the magic from my portal, along with the furball’s shrieks.

Her footsteps grew closer to the door, and the creaking of wood accompanied the sound of the door swinging wide open.

“What the? You are already back? W-wait, what is that?”

“I caught it while walking through the forest. I wasn’t sure what it was, so I brought it back just in case.”

“Okay, that makes sense, but what’s that behind you? Is that a portal? Seriously, you’ve got all kinds of tricks.”

“

Haha,

” I laughed sheepishly as Cho-Yeon briskly approached.

Her eyes shifted toward my hands. Her curiosity about the portal quickly faded as she focused all of her attention on the furball.

“

Hmm

. You said it was in the forest?”

“Yes. It wasn’t doing anything in particular. I just picked it up. I thought it could come in handy.”

“I’ve never seen a creature like this either, but it feels like a mystical beast.”

“

Huh?

This thing?”

Cho-Yeon nodded, though I couldn’t quite accept it.

This is a mystical beast?

To be honest, I didn’t exactly know what separated a mystical beast from a normal animal. After all, not every animal that possessed mana qualified as a mystical beast. Some monsters possessed it as well.

From my experience climbing the tower, I considered mystical beasts as creatures shrouded in quiet mystery. Despite their strangeness, however, they didn’t seem harmful to humans.

The furball, however, felt distinctly different. It lacked the sense of mystique I had come to associate with such entities.

There is a difference between something being intriguing and something being truly mystical.

Moreover, the furball carried the essence of that creepy forest. It was a vibe that felt foreign, as if it had been tainted.

Cho-Yeon added, “To be more precise, I think it used to be a mystical beast. Now, I would call it a tainted beast? No, that isn’t quite right. I’d say it’s just changed.”

“You know a lot about them?”

“I’m not an expert, but I’ve seen more than most. Mystical beasts are often used as alchemical materials.”

I nodded slowly. Her words started to carry some weight.

Then, a thought struck me. If the furball had once been a mystical beast, that could help us on our own mission.

“Wait, do you think the one locked in the cage could end up like this, too?”

“I’m not sure, but judging by this one, it does seem possible. I’d need to study it further to know for sure.”

“I see. Then I’m glad I brought it.”

Cho-Yeon nodded. “Yes. Well done. Honestly, I didn’t think you’d find something this valuable in just a few hours.”

She quickly added, “

Oh

, I don’t mean that as an insult. I just genuinely thought it would be difficult. It’s hard to believe anything could survive in that kind of forest. This one probably made it because it was a mystical beast.”

“Right.”

I could understand her reasoning. I had also doubted whether anything could live in that forest, at least until I had seen that strange figure.

“Did you bring anything else?”

“Yes. I’ll take them out now.”

“Wait a second. Let’s tie this one up first. I need the bag for the herbs, too. There should be a small cage around here somewhere.”

I nodded quietly.

A moment of silence settled between us. Both Cho-Yeon and I sensed that something had changed.

The furball, which had been squealing and thrashing about, had suddenly gone quiet. When I looked down, I saw it staring at the mystical beast inside the cage. There was something unusual about the atmosphere.

I met Cho-Yeon’s gaze.

‘Something is up, right?’

‘Yeah. Should we let it approach the mystical beast?’

After silently conversing, Cho-Yeon nodded slightly, and I carefully set the furball on the floor. As if entranced, it slowly approached the caged beast.

The cage was large enough for it to fit through the gaps in the bars, and I stood just behind it, prepared to intervene if necessary.

Thankfully, the furball didn’t act out. It only pressed its small, curled-up body against the beast’s head, rubbing it gently with its face.

About five seconds passed, and then the furball quietly stepped away and began walking toward the forest again.

It was definitely trying to leave, but it wasn’t running. Its steps were slow, almost weary. Even as it moved away, it kept glancing back at the mystical beast, as if trying to take one last look.

There was something between them. I didn’t know what it was, but it was undeniable.

“I’ll catch it again.”

“Alright. I’ll bring the cage.”

Something didn’t sit right with me.

The furball clearly recognized the mystical beast, and it had looked at it sadly.

So why is it trying to leave? Is it just because the safe area feels uncomfortable to it?

I didn’t know, but I couldn’t just let it go. I reached out and caught it again.

Meanwhile, Cho-Yeon returned with the cage, and I placed the furball inside.

Unlike before, it didn’t struggle. It just sat there, quietly dejected.

Even after talking it through, we didn’t come up with any answers. We would simply have to uncover it ourselves.

Afterward, I pulled the herbs from the mimic. There were more than twenty varieties.

Cho-Yeon’s eyes lit up as she looked them over. “You’re good. I didn’t expect you to bring back this much.”

Her comment caused me to laugh bashfully, “

Haha.

”

She continued, “Let’s hope it works this time.”

“It didn’t work last time?” I commented thoughtlessly.

“No. The climber hired by the tower before you died. The mission ended in failure.”

“The tower hired someone before me?” I asked, but her next comment was what really made me turn my head in surprise.

“Yes. Not as strong as you, but definitely unique. His lower half was a horse, but he had a human torso, head, and arms.”

What?