Thanwa knew that if he didn't gather the ingredients in time, the mother Brubeast and her young would have no chance of survival.
He straightened up from his hiding spot, leaping past a large tree directly to a thick bush covered in Fenril leaves. He grabbed a whole cluster of Fenril leaves.
[System: Ingredients collected | Starting antidote extraction process]
Thanwa took a deep breath. The faint scent of herbs and winged insect mucus wafted gently around him. His eyes shone with hope.
"This time... it must succeed." He mumbled before starting to input commands into the system.
Thanwa intently watched the system screen on the black box. Various data components processed quickly, the pulse graph flickering section by section.
{Starting extraction of antitoxin from silver Fenril leaves}
{Step 1 Separating substances from plant leaves...35%}
{Increasing temperature and pressure in the extraction chamber}
Thanwa clenched his fist. His right hand moved to touch the black box's touchscreen carefully.
"Eris, can it be faster?"
{Process stability is limited. Speed must be appropriate to avoid destroying the antitoxin.}
Thanwa exhaled slowly. He watched the mixture change color and small bubbles form during the process.
{Step 2 Mixing winged insect protein and Crossnite root bark...62%}
{Controlling pH and protein content is crucial.}
The black box chimed with a soft blue light.
{Substance extraction successful}
A faint smile crept across his face. The corner of his mouth twitched with hope. He pressed the command to save it in the black box.
{Received: Antitoxin, Redwing Serum 510 ml}
{Special Status: Health recovery +50, Moderate poison resistance}
"Very good... I just need to hurry back in time."
Thanwa quickly ran back the way he came, toward the Brubeast's nest. The heavy breathing of the mother Brubeast was still audible under the large tree roots. Thanwa crept in, trying not to startle the mother and child.
It growled softly in its throat when it saw him. Thanwa cut a large leaf to make a cup and showed it the antidote. It used its front paw to shield the baby Brubeast behind its leg, trying to stand on wobbly legs, then collapsed back down, panting heavily.
Thanwa looked at the leaf fragments hitting his feet. He walked closer, holding the cup, and took off his Grackle cloak, hanging it to protect Eris.
[Approaching closer may be life-threatening.]
"...Even if I die here, it's better than letting the whole nest die."
Thanwa's inner voice was faint but resolute. He knew fear was not an enemy but a driving force to push him forward—even if it cost him everything.
He left the cloak with Eris and stepped forward. His pulse raced. The hand holding the leaf trembled slightly, even knowing its claws could slice him in an instant. But Thanwa did not back down.
It growled threateningly, raising its paw high to strike. Thanwa just stood there and smiled faintly. Its paw slammed the ground beside him, kicking up dust.
"Eat this and live on."
He stroked its head while pouring the medicine into the mother Brubeast's mouth, as its child came to his leg and licked it.
Thanwa chuckled softly. "Don't, it tickles."
Eris moved in to scan it thoroughly.
The mother Brubeast shook its fur gently before slowly licking its wound. It began to move better. Its pulse raced, and its burnt brown eyes slowly regained their brightness.
Thanwa sighed with relief, watching the mother and baby Brubeasts slowly come back to life. A small smile formed on his face.
That night, he decided to camp near the Brubeast nest. He gathered a few more items to craft a straw sleeping bag to lie on.
"Tonight... it will finally be a truly peaceful night," he said, looking at the twinkling stars aligned in the sky.
{Indeed. It would be even better if you didn't seek out life-threatening situations.}
Thanwa laughed. He reached up, looking at the small sparkling light through his rough fingers, as if he were about to grasp it.
"Eris... I may not be the best person, not the most perfect person... But if I can still help, I'd rather do it than regret it later."
His eyes dimmed slightly, then he smiled broadly, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He knew the path ahead was still full of unpredictable challenges. But at this moment, he had proven he had enough power and ability to survive.
"This time... I won't give up," Thanwa said to himself, stepping out of the forest onto the path ahead.
Under the moonlight filtering through the tall branches, the sounds of nocturnal animals began to echo again, along with the faint whisper of the wind. Leaves rustled softly.
A roar echoed in the darkness.
Vorrak bent down to the bloodstain on the ground. It looked up, staring in the direction Thanwa had fled. Moonlight reflected in its blood-red eyes.
Its nostrils flared. It sniffed the air like a predator tracing memory.
***
A new day began with an unsettling quiet.
Thanwa opened his eyes amidst the scent of damp earth. Cold dew clung to the tips of his hair. Faint bird calls echoed in the mist. Dim light filtered through the leaves above his bed of dry grass.
Eris slowly floated up from the pile of straw she'd made near his head last night. She blinked a faint, glowing green light, slowly... like the breathing rhythm of someone not yet fully awake.
"A black box-style greeting, huh?"
{Ugh... Good morning. Yawn... It's still early, isn't it...}
Her voice trembled slightly, turning the box left and right like a sleepy child wanting to nap more.
Thanwa chuckled softly, raising an eyebrow.
"The system sleeps too?"
{I don't sleep... I just entered power-saving mode... for a bit too long...}
Her light flickered as if to yawn again.
They both turned to look at the Brubeast nest. The mother and child had disappeared into the forest, following their usual path.
Only long, slender feathers were left behind, shimmering with a soft blue glow like moonlight.
Thanwa smiled faintly, collecting the gift into a box.
{Received: "Moon-Fur" Property: Increases chance to evade detection from high-level creatures by 20%. Only obtainable from newborn Brubeasts.}
"It's like having a good luck charm with me. I'll feel a bit more at ease exploring today."
Thanwa prepared himself before setting off. Although he was still confused about his goal, the main priority now was survival.
He brought up his status bar to check. His food value had dropped to only a quarter. He quickly swiped to view the general crafting tab.
Campfire
Materials: Dry twigs, dry leaves, dry straw
[Confirm] [Cancel]
{Starting campfire construction.}
Eris projected a spherical hologram before summoning the materials to assemble the campfire on the ground. She arranged dry twigs in a triangular shape for optimal ignition.
Thanwa helped push dry leaves and straw under the wood to make it easier to light.
{Operation complete.}
"Can you light the fire?"
{That part is handmade and needs to be done manually.}
Thanwa sat rubbing sticks carefully. Sweat threatened to drip onto the tinder. Almost thirty minutes passed, a new pile of broken branches beside him.
"Here it is..."
He spoke softly, as if afraid to scare the spark. He took a deep breath, exhaling gently, blowing on the tinder teased apart like coconut fiber.
A tiny spark glowed, followed by a burst of smoke that made him turn his face away, coughing.
"Finally... it caught," he said with relief, gently wiping sweat from his forehead.
He carefully inserted the tinder under the teepee of wood. A few seconds later, the crackling sound of fire echoed, breaking the forest's silence as dawn arrived.
Thanwa lifted the Gragkhol meat to smell it. It had a pungent, gamey odor. He chopped—chop!—using the sharp axe he'd crafted.
The meat sizzled on the stone, heat driving out the fat. After flipping it again, it gave off a fragrant aroma.
A rustling came from the grass behind him.
Thanwa turned to see rodent-sized creatures with fluffy fur around their necks, standing on two hind legs like kangaroos—a family.
Eris floated closer, scanning them before they could react, causing them to scatter.
{Scan successful. Hornrat – Herbivorous and carnivorous rodent.}
They got their name from the small horns on their foreheads. Thanwa lost interest quickly, turning back to his cooking.
While waiting for the meat, he took out dried Cynthia seeds and Silverloom he'd collected yesterday, arranging them on a banana leaf.
"These aren't poisonous, are they?" Eris's green light flickered like a smile.
He sniffed the Cynthia seeds, which had a spice-like aroma, then crushed and sprinkled them onto the meat to reduce the gamey smell.
He cut the Silverloom in half and placed it on the grill. Though silver outside, the inside was pitch-black.
His eyes stayed on the meat—his first real meal. It wasn't special, but it was his, hunted and prepared by his own hand.
Finally, it turned golden-brown. Thanwa used a sharpened twig to skewer it and took a big bite.
The meat was chewy, with a sour-salty taste. The roasted Cynthia seeds brought out a deeper aroma. Warmth spread through him.
{Received Buff "Stamina Boost" – Duration: 15 minutes. Because Gragkhol meat has low-level toxins that stimulate blood circulation and increase endurance. Caution: Excessive consumption may lead to a toxic state.}
Thanwa smiled faintly. Even a short boost was welcome.
He closed his eyes, chewing slowly, letting the warmth fill him. Then he speared a piece of Silverloom to taste.
It was unexpectedly delicious—slightly sweet, with a hint of char. Chewy, sticking to his teeth.
"I wish you could taste this." He held up the other half for Eris.
{Thank you. I will remember this scent and flavor data.}
She floated closer, glowing faintly. He felt guilty for asking so thoughtlessly.
"Oh right... Eris, how long can these fresh ingredients be stored?"
{Normally, fresh ingredients in the Blackbox can maintain freshness for up to 72 hours in Endros's normal environment. This depends on the type and preparation of the ingredients.}
"72 hours... That's three full days, right? That's pretty long, huh?"
{If the ingredients exceed the specified time, they will begin to deteriorate. The system will send an alert to prevent use of spoiled items.}
"Then I need to be careful not to let them spoil."
{That's correct. If you wish, I can automatically notify you of the supply status.}
"Thanks, Eris. This makes me feel much more at ease."
Thanwa reached out as if to pat her in thanks, but Eris flashed red and moved away.
{Please wash off the grease before touching.}
She shone a scanning light onto his palm, leaving a faint rainbow reflection.
Thanwa laughed softly, pulled back, and wiped his hand.
He wrapped the separated meat in leaves to keep it warm.
He neatly divided the cooked and fresh meat before having Eris store them in the box.
"Supplies ready... Now it's time to go."
He slung his axe behind his back, put on his cloak, and scanned the treetops swaying in the wind below.
Lush green stretched as far as the eye could see, interspersed with mountain ridges.
A feeling in his chest told him this wasn't just human curiosity. It was an irrational pull, quietly calling him somewhere in Endros.
He closed his eyes, listening to the wind whisper through the leaves.
"Let's go... Eris."
His voice was faint but determined.
Eris floated ahead, leaving a trail of faint blue light that slowly faded into the air—like a guiding signal from a future world without gravity.
***
Encyclopedia of Beings in Endros
Name: Hornrat
Creature Type: Hybrid Rodent | Mammal
Average Size: Body length ~40–60 cm (excluding tail), average weight 2.3–3.1 kg
Distinguishing Features: Has a short, curved "single horn" on its forehead (like a soft antler) used for scraping bark, foraging, and fighting during mating season.
Eris System Note:
{Not recommended for hunting during mating season (Purple Month – Twilight Month) as they become aggressive and systematically attack intruders in groups.}