Watching Aedin return to the basement with Nightowl, followed by a cluster of Puchi, Nova felt an invisible hand squeeze his heart. A heavy mix of regret and sourness washed over him.
“So… I used it too early?” The usually crisp captain’s voice cracked.
Nightowl wiped blood from her face. Sympathy flickered. She nodded lightly.
She held the Wood Core before Nova. “Uh… can we put it back?”
Nova gave a bitter smile and shook his head. Of course it was not that simple.
The life force he sacrificed had entered Nightowl. It fully restored her body but did not extend her lifespan.
Even if she tried returning it now, it would only ease his current weakness, and would not recover what had already been lost.
In fact, Gar was the one who needed it more.
“There’s a simpler way to treat Gar.” Aedin cut in, pointing at the knight Puchi clamped on his head.
Nova and Nightowl exchanged a quick glance. They knew puchi handlers, and had even seen several before. They had heard of the puffcaps’ extraordinary vitality.
Previously they had looked down on this symbiotic lifestyle. But now, with the situation dire, it was still better than having Nightowl burn more of her life.
They had never seen conversion. Hesitation lingered.
“You sure it’ll work?” Nightowl asked cautiously.
Aedin sounded confident. “Trust me. I’m experienced.”
The powerful Puchi around him—especially the one on his head—made his words convincing.
After brief talk, the two agreed.
Aedin shook the knight Puchi. Spores drifted down onto Gar’s nearly dead body, and the parasitic bond formed quickly.
To look more professional, Aedin shook it a bit longer before stopping.
Mycelium merged with flesh. In under half an hour, Gar’s breathing steadied. Wounds clearly improved.
Nova and Nightowl exhaled.
They checked Ivan.
His vitals were fine. Coma came from S-grade crystal overuse.
[Status: Overmagic · Mental Overload]
The name sounded grand. Mycelium could not fix non-physical damage.
Aedin turned to Nova. “Want one too…?”
Nova thought. Declined for now.
Nightowl had slipped far back. Aedin wisely dropped it.
Once stable, Aedin pulled his last S-grade crystal. “Nova, you know my mission.”
Nova gently pushed it back. “Aedin, thank you for risking your life. Without you, we’d be dead. We can’t take this crystal. Once safe, the Wood Core is yours—for saving us.”
Gratitude real. But the Core came after safety.
Lin Jun eyed the Core’s panel. Couldn’t wait to store it. His stuff felt unsafe in others’ hands. More trouble? No thanks.
The knight Puchi tightened its grip on Aedin’s head.
“I’ll escort you out of the elemental zone,” Aedin said under orders. A compromise. “Then I report back immediately.”
Nova met his eyes. Nodded.
With Puchi support, breakout was easy.
Puchi carried the three wounded. Aedin, knight Puchi, and Nightowl handled threats.
Elementals were many, but diamond-tier rare.
Lin Jun’s senses guided them. They dodged big ones.
They reached the creep edge Aedin found. Creep had spread farther.
At the spot, Nova had Nightowl hand over the Core. Aedin forced the S-grade crystal back.
Nova: “No… we agreed—”
Aedin cut in, glancing at Ivan on the creep. “He saved me too. This repays him.”
Nova stopped refusing.
He took the crystal. Thanked sincerely with Nightowl. Hoisted teammates. Headed south.
Nightowl muttered elvish complaints about Gar’s weight. Silver Thorns faded from view.
Lin Jun could still track via creep network.
But his mind was on the super skill. Nothing else mattered.
The knight Puchi snatched the Core from Aedin. Stuffed it inside.
Aedin’s thirty-plus elite Puchi formed ranks. Dove into mycelial tunnels.
They linked in a chain. Core-bearing knight guarded center. Cannon-fodder Puchi joined from side paths. Full escort.
A long Puchi train rolled underground, unseen, toward Puchi Dungeon.
Oh. Aedin too.
“Aedin! You nailed it! I’m rewarding you a huge S-grade crystal! HUGE!” Lin Jun’s excited voice echoed in his mind. Then concern. “Can you get back alone? Need Puchi escort?”
Aedin politely declined thirty cannon-fodder. Solo illusion stealth was easier.
Lin Jun felt proud. Focused on guarding the Core convoy. Even Inanna’s “eight thousand Puchi” march got slightly messy.
…
Meanwhile, deep in Divine Tree Dungeon.
A cannon-fodder Puchi carried a voice Puchi to the sapling.
“Boss! Boss! Got your goods!”
After last time, Divine Tree closed the back door. Lin Jun could only shout outside.
The voice echoed around the chamber.
Long silence.
Scene darkened. Familiar abyss. Familiar glowing tumbleweed.
Tumbleweed rolled around the Puchi.
“The Fragment?”
“Just got it. On the way. Telling you early so—”
Puff—
Before it finished speaking, both puchis were thrown out again.
Add to the tab.
(End of Chapter)
The writing style of the past 3 or 4 chapters has been really weird. I checked another translation of these chapters, and it was written like it was normally before 430, so these chapters might need an update.
Thanks for the chapter!