Mushroom Tribe.
Elven’s understanding of these intelligent Puchis still stemmed from the one Fifteen had brought back fifteen years ago: a noisy little guy who kept yelling about fighting side-by-side to kill all enemies, yet fainted at the sight of blood.
After meeting No. 9, he had guessed that the special Puchi Inanna obtained in the dungeon was probably also a Mushroom Tribe member.
These strange creatures used numbers as names. What number was that one?
They were mysteries worth studying, but at the time, no one had the luxury.
Yet fate played tricks. He never imagined he would become one after death.
So were those previous Puchis also reborn from the dead?
On second thought, no.
From his brief exchange with No. 9, he could feel it genuinely took pride in being a Puchi. That pure mindset couldn’t belong to a reincarnator.
His situation seemed slightly different.
“You… what do you call me?” Elven cautiously replied with thought. It worked instantly, as if instinct.
No. 1 and No. 2 before him froze. “Fourteen. Didn’t you get a number?”
Back when they were born, the great Fungus Lord had personally named each new Mushroom Tribe member.
Even now they remembered that sacred, glorious moment: “Ah… you’ll be… One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen… okay…”
Fourteen…
Elven felt he was getting his comeuppance.
Back when he adopted those orphans, he was terrible at naming and didn’t think names mattered. Nameless children were simply numbered. The kids complained countless times when they grew up.
He even remembered the child named Fourteen had become a blacksmith.
Never thought he’d now be a numbered Puchi?
Then who named the Puchis?
“Of course the Fungus Lord!” When he probed, the Puchis answered immediately, then asked curiously, “Didn’t you hear the Fungus Lord name you?”
Realizing he might have misspoken, Elven covered. “I just woke up; probably missed it.”
He wanted to ask what the Fungus Lord was, but the situation was unclear. Better to blend in first.
Then he felt waves of sympathy from around him.
Before Elven woke, Lin Jun had already said this was Fourteen; no doubt about that.
So Fourteen missing the naming clearly meant, as it said, it had just been born and consciousness was fuzzy.
Missing the most important moment of a mushroom’s life; truly tragic.
No. 1 and No. 2 instantly grew warmer toward this unlucky new member.
“This is the Mushroom Garden, the Mushroom Tribe’s headquarters!” They pulled Elven through a forest of mushroom houses, then pointed at a passing tailless lizardman. “Those are Mushroom Servants who serve the Fungus Lord.”
Demons!
Elven instinctively reached for his waist with mycelial tentacles, only to grasp air.
Only then did he remember he was a Puchi now.
Besides, both his trusty weapons had been destroyed fighting the Blood Emperor.
So his lifetime of skill…
Elven looked at his round tentacles, picked up a stone shard from the ground, and swung.
The other Puchis hadn’t reacted when a nearby mushroom house suddenly tilted and slowly split in two.
The tailless lizardman who hadn’t gone far glanced at his collapsing house, turned back expressionlessly; used to it. He’d sleep in the dome tonight.
The numbered Puchis instantly swarmed excitedly.
“Whoa whoa whoa! So strong! Such a clean cut, just with a stone?”
“No wonder the Fungus Lord said Fourteen is amazing!”
“Fourteen, Fourteen, what skill is that? I want one too!”
Elven felt like he was back in his early adventurer days, when teammates had marveled the same way at his budding swordsmanship.
“Fourteen… might be able to do it.” No. 5, who had silently followed at the back, timidly spoke up. Its mushroom cap drooped slightly, unaccustomed to attention.
Instantly the Puchis quieted.
Could they… really?
“What can?” Elven asked, puzzled.
No. 1’s tentacle patted Elven’s cap and dramatically recounted the Mushroom Tribe’s blood feud with the black devil.
Though it tried for a tragic atmosphere, to Elven it was just a wolf-chasing-rabbit story.
He was only puzzled: when describing being eaten, No. 1 spoke as if it had personally experienced it.
Also…
“Didn’t you just say the Mushroom Garden is the Mushroom Tribe headquarters?” Elven interrupted. “Why is the natural enemy inside headquarters?”
No. 1’s cap awkwardly turned away, tentacles twisting in embarrassment, clearly not knowing how to answer.
Elven had no intention of attacking an unknown creature for no reason. He just wanted to understand his real situation.
About to refuse, No. 5 suddenly shouted, “It’s coming!”
The Puchis who had acted like owners instantly scattered “puchi puchi,” short legs leaving messy prints.
In the chaos, the one called Thirteen tried pushing Elven forward, only to be blocked by his tentacle.
Then Elven saw Little Black, drooling uncontrollably, following the scent.
Dragonkin?!
Elven felt this place was too wrong. Demons, Puchis, dragonkin living together?
He didn’t want trouble, but the dragonkin clearly saw him as food. He wouldn’t run either.
He was Sword Saint Elven, not a Puchi!
Tentacles whipped the stone shard instantly.
He knew normal stone couldn’t pierce dragon scales. The shard cleverly slipped under a lifted scale at Little Black’s joint, cutting into a gap.
*Crack—*
The shard shattered.
Elven was surprised. Even the skin was this tough?
Then only the eyes were weak points.
Little Black, as usual, reached out to hug.
Elven waited calmly. The moment the claws were about to touch—
[Moonstep]
*Splat—*
The expected leap didn’t happen. The Puchi body crashed to the ground.
Little Black happily hugged the Puchi and eagerly started gnawing from the cap.
This Puchi smelled too tempting; she had been woken from sleep by the aroma.
Feeling his body being nibbled inch by inch, Elven felt no fear, only confusion and absurdity.
He was puzzled why [Moonstep] failed, more absurd that after rebirth he would meet his end in such a comical way again.
The dragonkin cub’s sharp teeth rhythmically tore at the mushroom body, occasionally licking contentedly.
Looks like I really am delicious; Elven’s last thought before consciousness sank into darkness again.
…
【Name: Elven Slyne】
【Race: Mushroom – Puchi】
【Skills: Sword Extremity, Delicious LV10, Tempting Fragrance LV8, Cold Resistance LV10】
【Fixed Status: Sword Heart (Reflects mental damage)】
【Titles:
Sword Saint (Sword damage +100%)
Demon Slayer (Damage to demons +10%)
Dragon Slayer (Immune to dragon awe)
Master Teacher (Increased chance to trigger insight when teaching)】
All three attributes: 10.
…
When Elven broke through the mycelial cocoon again, inner shock was irrepressible.
Dream? Illusion?
No. With Sword Heart’s clarity, Elven was certain everything before was real.
Reborn again?
This is…
“How’s the mushroom body treating you? Sword Saint~”
(End of Chapter)
TL: Forgot to post author’s note for ch 492, it’s there now so go check it out if you haven’t
