“So, you are telling me that this branch had defeated that teeth-filled monstrosity basically alone?” Silex stared at Sprout, his eyes blinking slowly.
“Good. The stronger we all are individually, the stronger our pack will be,” Vesper said lowly, his eyes flickering with quiet approval.
“And the less I will have to worry,” Maximus added softly.
“Let’s celebrate. I’ll buy some good food!” Maximus suddenly clapped, his tone shifting with enthusiasm.
He spent 800 tokens and bought a large roasted ox, alongside some juice and a tablecloth on which he neatly served everything.
He carved himself a portion of meat and split the rest between the two beasts. He also acquired a bucket, into which he poured rich mineral water for Sprout and added a few crumbled emerald crystals.
“Let us eat and have a bit of peace of mind.” Maximus cheered and took a sip of orange juice. His eyes widened at the taste. “This is great!” he exclaimed, taking another drink before digging into the meal.
As the night went on and the two beasts were finally stuffed, a loud snoring began echoing through the area.
“What is that?!” Silex growled, instantly on guard.
Vesper shifted into a battle stance as well, scanning the surroundings, but they saw nothing. Vesper’s ears twitched as he tracked the sound, and it led him straight to Maximus, who had collapsed onto the ground with a fork still in his hand.
Sprout lay next to him, fast asleep as well.
“Looks like the boss is tired.” Vesper chuckled.
“They fought a grand battle. Let them rest!” Silex nodded proudly and moved closer to Maximus, lying down beside him.
Vesper shook his head at the stubborn croc and settled next to Maximus to keep him warm before closing his eyes as well. Only Embi remained awake, floating gently around the fire, absorbing the lingering fire mana and keeping the flames alive.
***
Maximus woke with the first rays of sunlight that enveloped the entire small swamp. Silex and Vesper lay next to him, still sleeping, while Embi and Sprout ran around chasing one another, enjoying the warmth.
Maximus rose and stretched, taking a deep breath. I must’ve been very tired to fall asleep like that. I don’t even remember when I drifted off. He thought and nudged the two beasts awake.
“Get up, you two. Time to continue forward,” he said.
The two opened their eyes and stood up. “Why so loud early in the morning?” Silex complained.
“You rested enough; here, eat these,” Maximus offered some berries for breakfast, ones that increased strength and stamina.
“Truly wonderful,” Maximus smiled as his body grew lighter and more energized.
“Well then, I will summon a large vine, and Vesper and I will help pull you up. You bite into it and dig into the dirt as you climb,” Maximus instructed.
Before Silex could respond, a large tendril slammed down like a falling log to their left, crushing some of the bramble and splattering swamp water.
“I’m not putting that thing into my mouth!” Silex protested, staring at the thick tendril lying still.
“Either that or we leave you here.” Maximus sighed, taking out his falchion and carving into the vine near the base to make it easier for Silex to bite. He also split the other end so both he and Vesper could grip it securely and pull.
Silex muttered something under his breath but said nothing further.
“Let’s go. Vesper, with me. Silex, be ready,” Maximus said as he morphed his limbs into their lupine form and began climbing steadily up the slope, pulling on the vine while Vesper climbed alongside him, the other end clenched in his maw.
Once they were part of the way up, Silex began climbing as well, using the pulling force of the vine to boost his momentum.
Twenty minutes later, all three finally reached the narrow path surrounded by bramble.
“Where to now, boss?” Vesper asked.
“We’ll follow the path forward. If anything blocks our way, I’ll clear it. Embi, you can go back now. Thank you for everything.” Maximus smiled warmly and dismissed Embi to rest.
Sprout morphed into his beast form and started jumping around happily as they began moving ahead.
***
It took them half a day to pass through the bramble-covered paths. Whenever they found a dead end, Maximus would unleash Vine Tendril, smashing the path open.
Bzzzzzzz.
Suddenly, the sound of wasps echoed overhead, and Maximus crouched, motioning for everyone to stay quiet. As the sound slowly faded, he rose carefully. “Didn’t you destroy their nest?” Silex questioned.
“Yes, but since I received no notification about the area being cleared, it’s quite obvious there are more. And they won’t be as surprised or as weak as the ones last night,” Maximus explained.
“This is not a place to fight swarms. Let’s keep moving,” Vesper added cautiously.
Like that, they moved forward carefully, picking berries here and there as they went. Maximus was quite pleased to gather as many as he could, hoping to grow some himself and perhaps enhance their effects.
And so, a few days passed. They moved slowly, only clearing paths when Sprout confirmed no wasps were nearby. Finally, on the afternoon of the fifth day, they emerged from the thicket and stepped into a large valley surrounded by dense bramble.
At the center of the valley lay the dried husk of another Bramble Hollow, long dead and hollowed by time.
Maximus approached it carefully and examined it, but found no signs of any recent battle. “The spirit within it faded years ago. It would seem this entire region was once a Hollow’s domain. Whoever came through here… They cleared it thoroughly.”
Bzzzzzzz.
“Boss, above us!” Vesper warned as a swarm of dozens of Mantis Wasps descended at immense speed.
Silex unleashed Aqua Jet, while Vesper followed with globes of blood that detonated into waves of crushing crimson energy.
Sprout, on the other hand, drove its roots into the ground and connected to the surrounding bramble, commanding it to strike.
As the massive stems lashed upward at the swarm, Maximus released Spore Cloud, paralyzing the wasps mid-descent, and followed up immediately with Solar Pyre.
The combined assault of the group dispatched the swarm swiftly.
You have defeated: [Mantis Wasp Lv. 26] x27
Battle Tokens earned: 500
“Move; these were only scouts. Hurry!” Maximus ordered, and they immediately sped eastward.
***
As the buzzing intensified behind them, they were already deep within the bramble once more and closing in on the edge of the region.
A few hours later, they stumbled upon another thin air barrier, and beyond it, a thick tropical jungle spread out like a fresh, untouched canvas waiting to be claimed.
They passed through, and the atmosphere shifted instantly. Even the weather changed as a sudden tropical shower descended, washing away the grime and fatigue of the long journey.
The rain was refreshing, carrying the scent of fresh earth mixed with heavy humidity and blooming flowers.
As they stood there, enjoying the downpour, the rain vanished as quickly as it had come, leaving them drenched and steaming in the dense heat.
“Be on guard. Who knows what awaits us next?” Maximus warned, reactivating his lupine transformation and tightening his grip on his staff as they moved forward.
The area was dense with towering trees and enormous ferns that brushed and battered against them as they pushed through the undergrowth. But after the hell of the bramble, everything felt far easier to traverse, almost forgiving by comparison.
“Vesper, any idea where we are?” Maximus asked as they walked.
“Not certain, but it is suspicious that we are not seeing any signs of life. Could be a pack-type beast, like I was,” Vesper answered, his tone uncertain.
Maximus nodded and continued forward when a banana tree caught his eye, its broad leaves swaying gently. “Oh, what fruit is that?” he wondered aloud as Sprout extended his vines and plucked a few, bringing them down with surprising care.
[Banana]
A simple fruit rich in fiber and vitamins.
Maximus noted that this one seemed ordinary. He peeled it and took a bite, his eyes widening as a pleased smile spread across his face.
“What, won’t you offer some to us?” Silex grumbled.
“Sprout, please pick a few more for our hungry friend,” Maximus said with a chuckle as he finished his fruit and stored the rest away.
Sprout brought down two large batches for each beast. Vesper sniffed it and recoiled, leaving it for Maximus to store, while Silex crushed his whole, peel and all, into his maw and swallowed happily. “Not bad, though meat is better,” he concluded with a satisfied rumble.
“Sprout, can you check the area for enemies?” Maximus asked. Sprout clapped happily and merged with the surrounding plants, his form dissolving into the vibrant greenery. Lately, he had been especially eager, now that he had a proper role to play and could even fight in his own way.
Suddenly, Sprout squealed and sent an image through their link. Near the edge of his range to the north, a group of four-armed monkeys with spider-like legs was devouring a massive snake, its head wrapped in web and crushed to pulp.
“What did you find?” Vesper asked.
“Some kind of primates with spider-like limbs. Looks like they might be the rulers of this region,” Maximus said, frowning. Primates mean higher intelligence. That could be a problem. There could be traps… though maybe less likely due to the curse still clouding their minds. “Vesper, how does the curse affect your mind? Do you constantly need to hunt, or can you stop and think?”
“There are moments of clarity, however short. You can sleep and rest, but most of our waking hours are spent searching for something to fight and devour. It would not be any different for them,” Vesper explained.
“That could be good… or very bad,” Maximus muttered. “Alright, let’s move more to the southeast. We don’t need to fight every beast we come across, right?” he sighed.
“Eh, where’s the fun in that?” Silex replied, following behind with a lazy grin.
***
As they trudged through the rainforest, Maximus, through Sprout’s scanning, noticed that the monkeys had been slowly descending toward their location, and to make matters worse, two more groups had appeared to the south and to the west, closing in.
“Be ready to fight; we are being followed by three separate groups. Somehow, they can trace our steps,” Maximus warned, his voice low and tense.
“Let them come; I’ve never tried eating monkeys,” Silex snapped his jaw eagerly.
Maximus morphed into his cat form, muscles tightening as his senses sharpened. “Hurry up; we need to find shelter or at least a place with more open space. Fighting any type of arachnid while surrounded by thick trees won’t end well for us!” Maximus warned, urgency cutting through his words.