23 Chapter 23 - Hunting (1/2)
Having decided that returning to Rat Slaying was not for them, Kenji and his party found themselves outside the town gates. It didn't take long to pass the farms and enter the forest. The forest grew dark and scary so fast Kenji had to whip his head behind him to check they hadn't entered a portal.
”I don't like this,” Kenji whispered. Violet nodded in answer.
Tenko ran ahead unafraid in her beast form, lunging into bushes, and laying in wait to burst out from the trees and growl.
”Enough! Please, my heart can only take so many shocks before it clocks out for the day,” Kenji said as he clutched his chest for the third time. Tenko just grinned wide with a fanged jaw and bound away.
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”Really Kenji, it smells better out here; but can we really earn money this way?” Violet said with pursed lips, peering around the thick flora dubiously.
”The guild gave us a list of plants that they buy, and surely Tenko can hunt deer or something for us to sell. That'll be a good money spinner I promise, much better than that stupid tavern and it's rats at least.”
That got Violet nodding enthusiastically, starting to pull loose every flower, root and leaf of sufficient colour and shine.
”Actually what we're looking for isn't that pretty,” Kenji grimaced, not having wanted to disrupt Violet who smiled like a child as she held a bouquet of beautiful white lilies.
”Oh, what are we looking for then?”
”Devil root,” Kenji said. ”It grows around spirit trees who have become corrupt and leech of the surrounding forest to grow stronger. Apparently it's a resource in very high in demand for its uses in all kinds of alchemy. As long as we don't get too close to the corrupt spirit trees themselves, it should be relatively safe to harvest. I've already told Tenko this, so hopefully, she'll find something as she -”
A sudden howl sent Kenji stumbling away, and with a schwing he pulled free his stone fused blade. Tenko laughed roughly, having prowled right around the corner.
”You are so easy to frighten! Like a little baby deer, all wide-eyed and stupid!”
”Haha- Tenko! have you found anything yet?” Kenji said through gritted teeth and a forced smile.
”Other than delicious meats? Yes, your weird tree is this way. Follow Tenko!”
Grumbling to himself, Kenji followed along with Violet close behind.
All together they stumbled ever deeper into the dark forest, filled with an increasingly large number of thorn, ivy and angry wasps. Going wide-eyed at a face sized spider that Kenji had been a moment from stepping into, he halted.
”Is this really the right way?” he whispered, Kenji's voice stolen by the breeze and travelling far further through the hungry dark than he had wanted. The trees ruffled their leaves angrily, and Violet had begun to shake behind him.
”Tenko is certain,” Tenko said snatching the spider with her teeth and starting to chew.
Kenji stared in horror.
”Follow Tenko! This way!” Tenko turned and zoomed into even deeper parts of the forest, Kenji and Violet left following rather worriedly after her. After some time they came into a less thick area, pale orange roots scrawled across the ground. The roots were feeding off the other plant life, sucking them of their energy and causing dozens of more trees to slowly wilt and die.
”Devil root!” Kenji beamed, starting to cut some of the roots free.
”K-Kenji...” Violet whispered, pulling at Kenji's sleave.
”Yes?”
”Look,” pointing mere metres ahead, Violet indicated to where a very angry tree with obsidian black bark stared at them, it's roots the ones spawning the devil root that was draining the surrounding forest of life. In its branches was Tenko, wrapped in thorny vines as she struggled to reach a glowing golden apple hidden amidst blood-red leaves.
”Give apple!” Tenko yelled as she was completely entombed in vines.