Twelve hours to live. The life clock is mercilessly ticking down. Only the antidote can guarantee survival.
The last axe blow echoed in his ears... His black hair fluttered past his emotionless eyes. He squatted beside the Grackol's remains.
Amidst the silence, broken by the chirping of birds, interspersed with the gentle rustling of leaves from the cool breeze, the sour scent of damp earth and decaying leaves wafted in.
{Eris: Equipment, Stone Axe durability reduced by 30%}
He nodded, wiping the blood from the axe blade on a tree trunk, while Eris collected various parts with the quiet, mechanical rhythm of a machine.
Thanwa brought up the system bar. A red window blinked softly, displaying simulated images of items that could be crafted from the Grackol's sacrificed life.
"System recommended options: spear, bag, weapon, leather armor... Not enough time to find all these crafting materials." He glanced at the countdown timer: 11:20.
At that moment, Thanwa felt a heavy pressure, like a stone pressing on his chest. He had to choose correctly, because if he made a mistake, it wouldn't just be damaged items, but the lives of Mother Broobeast and her young, who were waiting for help.
Thanwa chose to craft three items, only those that were essential and could be made immediately.
The Blackbox's production process always stimulated the inner child in him. In its fist-sized square form, it reminded him of a 3D printer, but as intelligent as if it were alive.
Although there was some delay in creation, he didn't know the Blackbox's limits... or even who created it.
Thanwa moved his face closer, a palm's distance from her. "...Can't it be faster?"
Eris blinked a soft green light... and subtly turned the box to the other side.
{T-the crafting process requires concentration.} Thanwa stepped back, smiling at the black box's shy demeanor.
[Crafting successful: Grackol Cloak x1 : Leaf Pants x1 : Sandals x1]
Thanwa unfolded the meticulously sewn, jet-black cloak. The Grackol scale pattern shimmered with deep purple under the soft light. A strange scent wafted up, similar to wood smoke.
"Thanks, Eris." He smiled faintly, putting on the cloak securely. His fingers ran over its rough, detailed surface before he threw it over his shoulder.
Thanwa rotated his shoulders to relieve the stiffness, stood up, and took a deep breath in the silence. Under Endoros's lush ecosystem, the quest window opened again. The timer was counting down.
[Quest Time: 11:03 | Mission: Extract basic antidote]
"Next is the Fenrir leaf," he murmured.
{Report: Silver Fenrir plants tend to grow in damp, well-lit areas. 47.6% chance of finding them in the northeast forest area.}
"Good, then we'll go that way..."
Thanwa walked into an area where the forest thinned. The sandals helped him greatly when passing through dry thorn bushes. Here, vines were fewer, but the trees began to grow tall and slender like nails driven into the side of a mountain.
The canopy cast streaks of shadow at the forest's edge. Light filtered through the trees in beams, illuminating red dust that floated like faint, flushed blood in the air.
They looked shriveled and reddish, swimming through the light beams like a school of fish, before gathering into a red box in front of Eris and scattering into fragments when she scanned them.
{Report: Dust mite 'Red Wirm', larva before entering the pupa stage, evolves into 'Red Wing', an insect with wings according to quest information.}
A faint clinking sound came from the treetops. Thanwa looked up, his eyes meeting something translucent. It clung to the tree bark, its structure similar to a cicada, but it was as clear as thin glass covering its body. A creaking sound came from its hind legs dragging across its abdomen.
"Is this creature's mucus used to make medicine?" She displayed a mint green circle.
"Great! This will save us a lot of time." He approached it indirectly. He wasn't sure if it was poisonous, but with such a large target, just hitting it squarely with an axe should either prevent it from flying further or cause it to shatter like glass.
He adjusted his grip on the end of the handle to increase momentum, breathing in and out slowly, his shoulders slightly relaxed. Everything seemed simple yet swift.
A solid thud echoed from the treetops... The axe blade sank deep into the trunk.
{Far from target.} She reported in a flat voice, as if unintentionally disparaging him.
The Red Wing began to flap its wings, making a clinking sound like glass striking together, becoming more frequent.
Instinct told him to run while swinging his palm.
Clink... Thanwa used his palm to subdue the insect. A vibrating force met his palm. Its wings began to turn orange-red like blown glass, before the insect was sucked into the box with the sound of cracking glass.
{Extracting raw materials} - {Received:}"insect protein mucus"}
"That was close, wasn't it? So dangerous," Thanwa wiped his sweat, looking at the Redwing mucus on his palm. It was a translucent pale pink and was also a key ingredient for crafting a medicine that could heal burns. Luckily, it hadn't burned his hand yet.
"Next target is," he drawled as he wiped his hands on a bush, "Krak Alakos shell? What was it?"
{The correct name is "Crossnite." It can be found in the hollows of tree trunks over a hundred years old.}
Thanwa walked through the forest where sunlight barely penetrated. Dark tree roots coiled long like snakes, intertwining in the dense undergrowth. Large, decaying trees cast shadows.
The chirping of crickets intermingled with the distant calls of birds. The damp smell of the forest mixed with the fresh scent of light green leaves, carried by the wind to his delicate nose.
A black box floated above his head, emitting a scanning signal all around. The location data for Crossnite root bark appeared in the air.
He crouched and crawled under dry branches. The sound of bark scraping against his back was faint in the silence, as if his pounding heart was the loudest sound in the forest. He tried to make every step as silent as possible.
A small clattering sound came from ahead. He froze, turning to look cautiously.
"...Be careful," he whispered to Aris in his head. She cast a faint green light, floating over his shoulder, following him deeper into the hollow. In the darkness, the Crossnite root bark was rough and jagged, protruding from inside the hollow.
But then, soft footsteps grew closer. Thanwa's heart immediately pounded faster. He hid in the darkest corner of the hollow, pulling out his Brubeast spear, ready.
From the shadows, Thanwa saw skeletal-like claws digging into the ground, moving slowly, like a large creature walking through the hollow.
Aris warned him, {Unable to identify threat characteristics.}
Thanwa tapped his lips with his index finger, trying not to move, as the time on the quest bar began to dwindle.
[Quest Time: 08:53]
He knew that fighting now might mean the highest risk, but there was no other choice. If he wanted to help Brubeast and its offspring, he had to gather the remaining ingredients.
His hand touched the rough root bark. The roots twisted and intertwined like anchor ropes. Thanwa pressed the back of his axe against it, using his body weight to help, gently rubbing it. A loud creaking sound came from the front of the hollow, making him hold his breath for a moment.
After an hour of cutting, his palms began to burn. Finally, the last straw broke.
He pulled an arm-sized root from the ground. Small, slender roots clung to it like fish roe.
{Received: "Crossnite Root"}
{Received: "Crossnite Root Bark"}
{Received: "Crossnite Eggs"}
Aris floated ahead slowly, checking the path. Thanwa slowly crawled out of the hollow. The shadow of a four-legged animal moved slowly in the other direction.
"Calm down, Thanwa. Calm down..." he whispered to himself.
Thanwa straightened up, feeling the pressure intensify. The sound of footsteps, not far away, began to grow louder again under the trees.
{Quest Time: 06:40}
"Got to hurry..." he whispered, before heading towards the final objective. Every step was like walking through a killing field, his eyes scanning for danger behind the shadows of trees.
Thanwa felt a gentle breeze pass through the tangled roots. A dry branch snapped softly nearby, echoing in the silence. He pulled his axe close to his body, crouching low, his eyes fixed on the darkness ahead.
{Aris: It's moving this way.}
He breathed slowly, gently touching the ground with the sharp edge of his axe. He crawled along the roots until he reached a narrow opening where he saw a shimmering silver light from the Fenrir leaves, covered in a thin layer of dust.
His hand quickly put the Fenrir leaves into the black box while scanning the surrounding area. A Redwurm shadow hovered nearby. He had to slowly and carefully step back.
"Got it..." Thanwa whispered, "Only one more thing left..."
A rustling sound interrupted again. This time, it came from behind him. Thanwa spun around, finding a pair of crimson eyes staring through the roots, sniffing.
Fear seeped into his heart, but Thanwa knew this was not the time for fear. Even though deep down he wanted to run as far away as possible, it was his mission. A mission he had to endure and fight to the end.
The black box beeped.
{Aris: Threat detected. Warnak ready to attack.!}
A tall, slender figure lunged forward quickly. Aris intercepted the claws. A sharp, ear-piercing sound, like a lightning bolt, crackled through the air. A faint burning smell from the sparks touched his nose.
Thanwa swung his axe to meet the other claw. The blade struck muscle. Thanwa was sent tumbling through the bushes, as if struck by a log. He cried out in mid-air.
Aris followed him closely.
"Are you okay..." The black box spun in the air, blinking a soft green.
Warnack snarled, baring its fangs, pawing at the ground.
Thanwa forced himself up, still winded. Its claws had grazed his upper arm. The only option was to flee. Worse, his axe was gone. It leaped through the air.
Thanwa held his breath, using his agility to dodge, rolling past the claws by a hair's breadth.
'Eris, get out the Brubeast fur.' At the same instant, Warnack twisted and pounced.
"Don't get in my way.!" he yelled, grabbing the porcupine quills and throwing them with all his might, then dropping to the ground.
The sharp quills pierced deep into its eye sockets. Warnack roared like thunder striking a skull. The sound of cracking bones echoed through the forest. Its red eyes flickered, glowing like the last embers of a dying animal.
Thanwa seized this opportunity to escape, rolling past the claws by a hair's breadth, and running at full speed.
Time on the quest was counting down, with only
[Quest Time: 03:12]
There was no time to stop. He inhaled deeply and whispered to himself—this time… it had to succeed.
***
Encyclopedia of Beings in Endoros
Name: Red Wing
Creature Type: Glasswing insect
Average Size: Body length ~5 - 8 cm , average weight: 20 – 30 g
Distinguishing Features: By beating their wings rapidly, Red Wings produce heat. Swarms can collectively generate temperatures exceeding 100°C.
Eris System Note:
Some tribes believe that if a warrior hears the sound of Red Wings clashing their wings before battle, it is a bad omen.