Tree-top market area.
“Little Ji—!” Airaven’s shout sounded like her throat was being squeezed—starting with bold desperation but fading into a weak, off-key whimper.
An intense sense of shame seared her cheeks and ears, making every breath feel like it was burning.
It was her third day. She forced her voice to be clearer, staring straight ahead, trying to ignore the stares around her.
She regretted not searching this area with her brother earlier…
But thinking of Little Ji alone in the forest, possibly in trouble, she took a deep breath, pushed down her fear, and called out again.
Nearby, two pretty elves who’d been watching her frowned. One, a blonde with a colorful bird on her shoulder, turned with open annoyance.
“Hey! Enough, Airaven!” Her voice was sharp and biting. “This isn’t your personal hunting ground! So noisy!”
She was Vilania, someone Airaven knew.
The other elf chimed in. “Yeah, what’s with the pathetic act? Looking for another of your weird ‘treasures’?” She stressed “treasures” mockingly. “Bear, snake, Furball? Only that parrot’s halfway normal.”
Lina ticked off each one on her fingers, her smile growing meaner. “Like owner, like pets—all so strange.”
Airaven looked away, clenching her hands for a moment, ready to leave.
Vilania spoke up. “Leaving already? Tell us, what’s the big deal this time? Maybe we’ve seen it!”
Airaven hesitated, mumbling, “Puff… Puffshroom… with wings…”
“Puffshroom?!” Vilania mimicked the word loudly, trading a look with Lina before bursting into sharp, piercing laughter. “Pfft, hahaha! That lowlife mushroom from muddy swamps and dark caves?! Airaven, you really pick up anything! Haha!”
They laughed so hard they doubled over.
But at the peak of their loud mocking—
The colorful bird on Vilania’s shoulder, calmly grooming its bright feathers, vanished into thin air!
Only a single vibrant tail feather spun slowly to the ground by her feet.
Vilania’s laughter stopped dead, her smile replaced by shock and confusion. “Glassfeather? Where’s my Glassfeather?”
Lina’s laugh caught in her throat. “What… what happened?”
They looked around frantically, scanning branches and stalls, but found no trace of the bird.
As they spun around in a panic—
Snap! Snap!
Two faint sounds, nearly drowned out by the crowd, rang out at the same time.
Vilania and Lina felt their waists loosen!
“Aaahhh—!”
“What’s that?!”
Under the stunned gazes of the crowd, the two elf ladies crouched, clutching their slipping pants, embarrassed and angry, unsure what to do.
Airaven, confused by the sudden chaos, felt a familiar heavy weight on her head!
“Little Ji!” Warmth and relief flooded her, washing away all the pent-up hurt and worry.
Scout Puffshroom, still invisible, kicked its legs to signal Airaven to go.
Not everyone missed its stealth.
From the status panels, at least two nearby elves could see through [Light Refraction Stealth], but neither spoke up.
That’s why the Puffshroom only cut their belts—keeping it to a small prank.
Even without understanding Elvish, Lin Jun could tell these two were bullying his elf “ride” just by watching.
If there weren’t so many people around…
Back in the quiet forest below, Airaven gently lifted the Puffshroom from her head.
Scout Puffshroom dropped its stealth, revealing its round shape.
“Little Ji! Finally found you!” Airaven happily rubbed its soft cap, then reached into the pocket under its belly, pulling out a fainted colorful bird. “Were you helping me? You’re the best!”
The Puffshroom stretched out a mycelium tendril, trying to stuff the pretty “prize” back into its pocket, but Airaven gently stopped it. “Be good, Little Ji. Let this little guy go, okay?”
The tendril paused in the air for two seconds before pulling back.
The woken bird huddled in Airaven’s hand, glancing fearfully at the Puffshroom before she lifted it to fly off shakily into the trees.
Its [Colorbloom] skill caught Lin Jun’s eye—maybe it could grow rainbow mushrooms?
It wasn’t far. Once the Mycelial Network spread here, he could “visit” it behind Airaven’s back.
Opening the door to her hut, Fly-Fly chirped and swooped over excitedly but froze mid-air at the sight of the white figure on Airaven’s head. It swerved back, darting to the backyard like lightning.
Scout Puffshroom hopped off its “ride” and strolled to the backyard.
Fly-Fly was shivering, hiding in Earthbear’s thick fur.
Little Bean and Bubble dropped low to the ground when they saw the Puffshroom. Only clueless Furball kept lounging in the sun.
The Puffshroom tapped each of their heads with a mycelium tendril, even Fly-Fly, who wasn’t thrilled.
Seeing Little Ji get along so “well” with her friends, Airaven felt warm inside. The days of searching and the market’s insults vanished like smoke!
After that, Scout Puffshroom spent days hopping between nearby potion shops, returning to the hut at night to show its face. It also scouted out where those two elves and their bird lived.
Taking it easy, just waiting for the dungeon’s Mycelial Network to spread up!
During this time, an uninvited guest arrived at the Far North Icefield.
Broad-shouldered, covered in black demonic tattoos.
This level-60 demonkin, Galen, was spotted by the surface Mycelial Network long before he reached the tribe.
(End of Chapter)
