Chapter 390: Eighty-Seventh Floor, Mystical Beast Treatment (10)

[Heal the mystical beast under the alchemist’s protection. Time remaining: 82 hours 5 minutes.]

Night had fallen again by the time I returned to the cabin. Unlike the previous evening, however, the area was brightly lit. Torches flickered steadily around the perimeter, casting warm light into the quiet woods.

Strangely, Cho-Yeon didn’t seem to be present. Though it was late, most would still be up.

I expanded my senses and scanned the surroundings.

The eerie fog that had once shrouded the forest had dissipated, revealing a land full of vibrant life.

Above, the night sky stretched clear and vast, and stars were scattered in brilliant constellations. Beneath them, the trees stood outlined in crisp relief, their silhouettes sharp under the starlight.

Just as I expected.

Meanwhile, the divine energy that had previously infused the soil surrounding the cabin had quietly disappeared. Not extinguished, though, but diffused.

As the forest reclaimed its essence, my divinity had gradually scattered. It was now woven faintly throughout the land.

Poong-Wol remained within the cage, sound asleep. He didn’t appear to have taken any sedatives. His face was calm, his breathing even.

I thought he would still be awake.

Perhaps, with the forest restored, he had finally allowed himself to relax.

It wouldn’t be surprising. Exhaustion often followed moments of intense stress. He had endured much on his own, striving to preserve the forest.

Just then, my broadened awareness caught a trace of Cho-Yeon. She was somewhere deeper in the woods, engaged in some activity.

Looks like she is out gathering herbs.

Prior to this, the tower had prevented her from leaving the zone due to the danger. Now, with the forest’s revitalization, it seemed that the restriction had lifted.

I paused and glanced between the sleeping Poong-Wol and Cho-Yeon. I debated whether to hand the orb over to him or not. However, seeing Poong-Wol resting so peacefully, I hesitated to disturb him.

The orb was undoubtedly the source of his strength, but he had looked so worn out. A little rest could do him more good than a rushed recovery.

I will give it to him once he wakes up.

Turning away, I headed toward Cho-Yeon. Though the forest had changed, she had ventured farther than I would have expected—fear of the unknown wouldn’t hold her back, it would appear.

There was no need to rush. After a slow, four-minute walk, I caught sight of her figure up ahead. Clad in practical, streamlined clothing, she moved carefully. Her bag was slung securely across her back as she continued gathering herbs.

When I made my presence known, she turned sharply as she flung out her left hand. Her eyes widened in genuine surprise.

“

Oh,

gosh.” Letting out a breath, she lowered her hand and rose to her feet with a faintly irritated expression.

She strode toward me boldly and purposefully. “I was worried. What were you doing this whole time?”

“Sorry?”

“The forest changed so suddenly, but you still hadn’t come back. Honestly, I thought you died saving it.” Placing a hand on her chest, she took a slow breath to steady herself. “And you could’ve at least said something after returning. I thought a monster had shown up or something. You really scared me.”

“A monster?”

“Well, if you were dead, that would mean something had the power to kill you. I know the tower hasn’t blocked the area, so it’s probably safe, but still. You never really know,” she rambled rapidly, as if her words had outpaced her mind.

I smiled slightly and answered, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be late, and I definitely wasn’t out playing around. I had a reason.”

“A reason? What kind of reason could there be, aside from saving the forest?”

“Well, to be honest, it’s kind of a long story.”

As I sidestepped the question, Cho-Yeon clapped her hands as if suddenly remembering something.

“

Oh

, but why hasn’t the mystical beast recovered? The others were all released and changed forms.”

“His name is Poong-Wol.”

“What?”

“The beast’s name.” I held out the blue orb in my hand and brought it close to her eyes. “He’s still unwell because he hasn’t been reunited with this.”

“Wow.” Her gaze fell to the orb, curiosity piqued.

She seemed far more intrigued by the object than by my explanation. Perhaps it was her instincts as an alchemist.

“Can I touch it?”

“No,” I responded firmly, “It’s not that I don’t trust you. I’m just worried something will happen. I’ve been acknowledged by the forest, so I’m safe.”

“Alright, I get it.” Pouting a little, she bobbed her head reluctantly. “Then explain. What exactly happened? What do you mean, ‘the forest acknowledged you’? Can you explain in a way I’ll understand?”

“

Hmm.

It’s not exactly simple.”

She narrowed her eyes, clearly unwilling to accept that single vague sentence. She had always taken an interest in others and enjoyed conversation.

Watching her expression, I deliberated on how much to share.

Where shall I begin, and how much can I safely reveal?

Even if she knew about the tower, speaking openly about trials or hidden missions was difficult.

I will have to filter it.

“So here’s what happened.”

I began by describing how I had bonded with Poong-Wol and how the spirit of the forest had come to aid me afterward. With that explanation out of the way, I shared about the source of the corruption and how I had solved it. In doing so, I had lost consciousness.

It was somewhat simplified, but it was the truth.

Cho-Yeon listened closely. At times, her eyes widened. At others, she held her breath.

When I finished, she nodded with genuine admiration and gave a soft round of applause. “Wow, you really went through a lot.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “It was rough.”

“So this time, you weren’t intentionally late.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I thought you were just being inconsiderate again. I was actually getting ready for your funeral. If it had turned out you were just being thoughtless, I would’ve had a few things to say. But hearing the full story now, I understand. You did what you had to.”

“Funeral?”

“Well, when the tower calls, it doesn’t exactly give one the time to reach out. Someone has to take care of things.”

So that was how the tower employed others. Even so, her concern moved me.

My thoughts drifted further.

She had always been strangely insistent about letting her know if I would be late. It was only now that I realized it wasn’t just about punctuality. She worried more than she let on—and was unexpectedly thoughtful.

Maybe she went through something difficult in the past.

I couldn’t be certain, and asking would be rather invasive. I chose to let the thought pass.

“You said you’d contact me if I were late. And thank you. Just the fact that you thought about a funeral. That means a lot.”

A brief silence settled between us.

Cho-Yeon glanced at the orb and shifted the subject, “Still, shouldn’t you give that to him right away? Is it okay to just carry it around?”

“He was sleeping so peacefully.”

“Even so. You said he’s sick without it.”

She had a point, and I didn’t really have a good answer.

“I guess it’s just a feeling. I could give it to him now, but after everything he went through, I wanted him to rest in peace for a bit longer.”

After a moment’s thought, Cho-Yeon nodded. “That makes sense. You said his name was Poong-Wol, right? You’ve bonded with him, so I trust you know what’s best.”

My eyes drifted to the flower in her hand. “You were out gathering herbs, right?”

“Yeah. Now that the forest is healthy, the danger’s gone, and Poong-Wol looks a little better. But you hadn’t returned yet, so I figured I should finish making the medicine. A mission’s a mission.”

“Did you find anything useful?”

“Kind of. I’ll need to examine them more closely. Things may change once you return that orb.” After placing the herbs into her bag, Cho-Yeon brushed off her hands. “Shall we head back? There’s no point in staying out any longer. Let’s return the orb and observe him for a while.”

I nodded slightly, and we started walking toward the cabin.

We didn’t say much on the way back. The only topic of conversation I could think of was that the meal we had shared had been nice.

By the time we arrived, Poong-Wol was already awake, quietly watching us from inside the iron cage.

Since he remained silent and simply held my gaze, I approached him wordlessly. The same familiar energy as before wrapped gently around me.

I extended the orb toward him, and Poong-Wol opened his mouth, swallowing it whole.

At that moment, my divine energy rushed into him. In return, his presence flowed into me.

Just like when I had resonated with the forest, we underwent a spiritual communion. At the same time, a golden light descended onto Poong-Wol. Illuminated by the brilliant light, he transformed into a dragon—no longer an imoogi.

Poong-Wol had also become my divine beast. He wasn’t capable of speech, but I could sense the bond forming between us, something beyond words.

Of course, it wasn’t a literal joining of minds. Not every thought passed freely between us.

I couldn’t be certain of why, but I presumed it was due to how fresh our bond was, although it could simply be that divine beasts didn’t communicate that way.

However, Poong-Wol clearly hadn’t fully recovered. He had regained his true form, but his strength remained lacking.

I took too long to give him the orb.

Poong-Wol hadn’t been in the same position that the other mystical beasts had. Nor had he been afflicted with an illness. Instead of a remedy, he just needed time within the forest that now teemed with life.

I reached out and opened the cage door with my right hand. Poong-Wol leaned forward, extending his head through the opening, and gently pressed his forehead against mine.

A profound sense of wholeness surged through me, a moment of blissful resonance.

He drew back, returning to the center of the cage, and lay down before closing his eyes once again. He still needed rest.

As I turned, Cho-Yeon looked at me with eyes full of curiosity. “What was that just now?”

“It felt like I was bonding with Poong-Wol. Calling him mine sounds strange, though. Let’s just say we formed a connection.”

“Like a divine beast?”

“I’m not sure. I’m no god...” I trailed off.

Cho-Yeon gave Poong-Wol a calm once-over. “He’s not completely healed, but I don’t see anything obviously wrong. We’ll need to check again later, but I think he’ll be fine after some rest.”

“Yes, I think so too.”

“

Hmm.”

She fell silent for a moment, then furrowed her brow. “This is kind of baffling.”

“Sorry? What is?”

“

Oh

, not this. I meant the situation with the tower. If healing him was going to be this straightforward, why did they even bring me here?”

Although she had sounded like she had been talking to herself, she clearly wanted my opinion.

“Maybe they thought it would take longer. If it had, Poong-Wol would have suffered without your medicine. Or maybe you’re meant to assist with his recovery afterward,” I offered.

Cho-Yeon still looked unconvinced. “Sure, that’s possible. But something about it just doesn’t add up. I know it might sound like bragging, but I’m not exactly the kind of person you summon just to brew a simple tonic.”

As if worried I would misunderstand, she quickly added, “Not that I’m complaining, of course. I’ve had it pretty easy, and I’m not unhappy about that. I just can’t wrap my head around it. I’ve never been good at letting things go when I’m curious.”

I pondered her statement, then nodded. “That makes sense.”

Her remark brought up a good point. It was like being on the eighty-eighth floor and suddenly getting a tenth-floor trial. Nice, yes, but it was hard not to question.

“In any case, if you are planning to make something like a tonic, you’ll need more herbs, right?”

“

Oh

, it’s fine.”

“Sorry?”

“The forest’s been like this for a while now. I’ve been moving around carefully since the afternoon and gathered quite a bit already.” She shrugged casually. “If anything’s missing, I’ll let you know. I think it should be enough, though. You have to be tired, so go ahead and rest. I still have more work to do.”

She had put in a considerable amount of work while I had been away.

I was caught a little off guard, but didn’t see a reason to decline. I was tired. Even if I recovered during the long time I had been unconscious, I had expended a great deal of energy.

If I let myself rest now, I would definitely fall asleep.

“Then I’ll leave it to you.”

“Sure. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

With a wave of her hand, Cho-Yeon turned back to her work, and I returned to the temporary tent.

***

[Heal the mystical beast under the alchemist’s protection. Time remaining: 75 hours 13 minutes.]

At dawn, I woke up naturally, stirred by the countless presences I could feel approaching from every direction. Focusing, I realized the fairies and mystical beasts were drawing closer to the tent.

What is going on?

Serendel had said everyone hadn’t wanted to approach because Cho-Yeon was here. So what had changed?

I raised my upper body halfway and extended my senses further.

That was when I realized that Cho-Yeon was gone.