Finn and Creambell had just emerged from the frozen lake and entered the snow-covered Serpent Forest. Thankfully, they didn't spot any creatures nearby, but they remained cautious since the forest was known to be home to many dangerous things. Their confidence in dealing with a threat was shaky, considering Finn's frail wooden doll body with limited magical and physical abilities, and Creambell's classification as a Level F pixie fire mage.
Upon entering the forest, Creambell scanned their surroundings and lamented, "I really wish you had pixie abilities." He cast a wistful glance at Finn and then gently touched the translucent antennae on his head. "These antennae allow us to telepathically communicate with other pixies within a certain distance. At my current level, I can reach someone up to 100 meters away. This would have allowed us to search separate areas while staying connected."
Finn expressed his disappointment by lowering his head, clearly sharing Creambell's sentiment.
Creambell sighed, acknowledging the limitation, "Yes, I share your disappointment that we can't split up for better coverage. Our safety depends on sticking together. Now, let's begin our search."
Venturing deeper into the forest, they couldn't shake the constant fear of an impending attack. Fortunately, the winter season provided better visibility in the forest, allowing them to see over longer distances. As far as their eyes could reach, there were no signs of any creatures lurking nearby.
However, as they walk through the thick snow, Creambell suddenly felt something peculiar beneath his foot. He came to a halt, causing Finn to stop and watch him closely. Creambell cautiously stepped on the same peculiar object buried in the snow again, sensing a slight spongy texture. Then, in an unsettling twist, the snow ahead of Creambell started to shift and move. The spongy object he had felt also began to stir beneath his feet.
Soon, they discovered what had been hidden beneath the snow all along. Initially, they saw the creature's white fur as it vigorously shook off the accumulated snow, and then it slowly raised its massive head, revealing its sharp teeth and two imposing horns. The creature resembled a polar bear, but it was larger and had a more menacing presence.
Watching this unfold, Creambell instinctively ran several feet away and concealed himself under the cover of a tree trunk and the snow. His white skin, white hair, and snowy attire allowed him to blend seamlessly with the surroundings. Meanwhile, Finn, in a state of panic, looked around frantically before finding refuge near a tree trunk. However, his vivid yellow wooden body and the painted demon face made him conspicuously stand out, easily drawing anyone's attention to him.
As the massive bear finished cleaning its face and returned its front limbs to the ground, transitioning to a four-legged stance, it began to survey its surroundings. Creambell remained hidden, successfully evading the bear's notice. However, it didn't take long for the bear to lock its gaze onto Finn, and with slow, deliberate steps, it started approaching him.
Finn's fear was palpable as he watched the bear drawing closer, his body frozen in place. Desperate to understand the situation better, he summoned his magical abilities and cast an appraisal spell on the bear. The transparent screen appeared right before him displaying the basic details of the bear were displayed.
"White Akuma Bear
Threat Level – C
Description – White Akuma Bears are a formidable subspecies of Akuma Bears indigenous to frigid regions. They are strict carnivores and, when hungry, their olfactory senses become heightened, increasing by a factor of 100. These creatures possess razor-sharp claws comparable to steel blades and exhibit physical strength equivalent to that of 20 water salamanders. Furthermore, they have the capability to enter a bloodlust mode, which magnifies their strength by tenfold, making them exceptionally dangerous in such a state.
Length X Width X Height – 15 feet X 5 feet X 7 feet
Weight – 1,500 kg"
"Why did it have to be a Level C creature?" Finn screamed from inside, his voice trembling with fear.
Meanwhile, the bear approached Finn and began sniffing his wooden doll body. After a few moments, it lost interest and regarded Finn as nothing more than an inanimate piece of wood. With that, the bear turned and walked away.
Once the bear was out of sight, Finn let out a sigh of relief. Creambell emerged from his hiding spot and said, "Phew... That could have spelled the end of our journey.
Finn nodded in agreement, the tension in the air slowly dissipating. With their nerves still rattled but their determination intact, they resumed their journey through the Serpent Forest.
After hours of cautiously navigating the snow-covered forest, concealed from the watchful eyes of potentially perilous creatures, Finn and Creambell spotted a puppeteer rat. The rat appeared to be on a purposeful journey.
"Yes!" Creambell exclaimed, excitement bubbling within him. He, however, kept his voice hushed to avoid drawing any unwanted attention. Watching the rat's movement, he continued, "Puppeteer rats rarely venture out into the open. They prefer to dwell in murky waters, hidden from prying eyes. But that rat is heading away from the lake, and that can only mean one thing—it's searching for rugu."
Upon hearing this promising news, Finn gently patted Creambell's back with his fingerless wooden hands, expressing his gratitude.
"Thanks," Creambell acknowledged, his gaze still fixed on the rat. Then, with determination, he added, "Let's follow it."
Silently, both Finn and Creambell trailed the puppeteer rat, maintaining a discreet distance to ensure they remained unnoticed. After an hour of stealthy pursuit, they arrived at a cave, which was the rat's destination. As they cautiously entered the cave behind the rat, they noticed something intriguing.
Inside the cave, a particular area had a hollow top, allowing sunlight to filter through. The cave's floor was adorned with rocks and green flora, an unusual sight during winter. It was as if the cave had fostered its own unique ecosystem.
The rat made its way to the part of the cave where sunlight bathed the floor directly. There, it paused beside a thorny shrub adorned with small flowers, which the rat proceeded to nibble on. Observing this, Creambell whispered in a hushed tone, "That's quite a sizable rugu plant."
With newfound confidence, Finn and Creambell stepped forward, intending to collect the flowers from the rugu plant. However, as soon as they took their first step, a sudden and startling event unfolded before them. Something grabbed the puppeteer rat, causing it to vanish into thin air with a sharp, whip-like sound.
Both of them froze in their tracks, wide-eyed and filled with a mix of shock and fear. Creambell couldn't contain his astonishment as he exclaimed, "What was that!"
To uncover the mystery behind this bizarre disappearance, Finn quickly employed his appraisal skill near the rugu plant .The transparent screen displayed,
"Absent Chameleon
Threat Level – F
Description – These are one of the slowest creatures with respect to movement. That's why they wait for their prey to come to them while they remain invisible. And once their prey is in reach of their sticky tongue, they grab it in an instant.
Length X Width X Height – 5 feet X 1 feet X 2 feet
Weight – 45 kg"
After uncovering the threat posed by the chameleons, Finn swiftly used his drill spike skills to launch spikes randomly into the area near the rugu plant. Before Creambell could fully comprehend Finn's actions, some of these spikes found their mark, striking the chameleons and causing them to lose their invisibility. Although agitated, these creatures were lethargic in their movements.
Taking advantage of their newfound visibility, Finn and Creambell took their time and initiated a barrage of ranged attacks against the chameleons. After a few minutes, all the chameleons had been defeated, rendering the vicinity around the rugu plant much safer than it had been earlier.
With their confidence restored, they cautiously approached the shrub, where Creambell began plucking the rugu flowers while taking care to protect his hands from the sizable thorns.
While Creambell was engrossed in the task of plucking the rugu flowers, Finn's keen ears caught some faint thumping sounds emanating from the deeper parts of the cave. Intrigued, he moved closer to investigate the source of the rhythmic noise .
As Finn ventured deeper into the cave, his eyes fell upon a sight that filled him with both surprise and delight. There, he spotted a pink bunny with long, floppy ears, and the bunny was curiously gazing back at him.
Unable to resist the overwhelming cuteness of the bunny, Finn couldn't help but think, "That's got to be the cutest bunny I've ever seen." To learn more about this adorable creature, he decided to use his appraisal skill once again.
The transparent screen displayed,
"Hungry Hare
Threat Level – H
Description – These creatures are omnivores in nature, but they generally tend to eat anything which is moving. They only have sharp teeth which can even tear through armors. Even though they aren't dangerous on their own, a horde of them can pose a threat as great as a level B creature.
Length X Width X Height – 1 feet X 0.5 feet X 0.7 feet
Weight – 3 kg"
Finn's initial sense of safety was quickly replaced by concern as he observed more and more of the adorable but potentially dangerous bunnies emerging from the depths of the cave. His worry deepened as their numbers grew.
Taking slow steps backward, Finn watched as the bunnies mirrored his movement, taking steps forward. As he increased his pace in retreat, the bunnies quickened their advance
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Finn decided to take action. He summoned his sticky thread ability, creating a web of threads in their path, effectively blocking the way for some of the approaching bunnies. Without wasting any time, he swiftly turned around and sprinted as fast as his wooden feet could carry him, knowing that he needed to put as much distance as possible between himself and the growing horde of bunnies.
As Finn sprinted closer to Creambell, he suddenly smacked Creambell in frustration. Creambell was startled by the abrupt gesture and accidentally brushed his palm against one of the large thorns of the rugu plant. The thorn pierced his skin, causing his palm to bleed, and he stood there, both angry and in pain.
However, their momentary respite was short-lived, as they looked up to see hundreds of Hungry Hares rapidly hopping toward them. Finn didn't need to explain; they both understood the urgency of the situation. With Creambell clutching his bleeding palm and a sack of rugu flowers he had managed to collect, they fled for their lives. Finn trailed behind Creambell.
Upon reaching the cave's entrance, Finn swiftly employed his sticky thread ability to seal off the entrance. But the relentless hares were determined and began cutting through the threads.
Realizing that it might be more effective for him to stay behind and delay the hares, giving Creambell a better chance to escape, Finn turned around, planning to persuade Creambell with a set of hand gestures he had in mind. However, when he turned, he saw that Creambell was already far ahead, running as fast as he could.
Creambell had managed to put a considerable distance between himself and the pursuing Hungry Hares, running as fast as his pixie legs could carry him. Finn couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction seeing Creambell's determination.
Finn couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction internally as he turned back to delay the relentless Hungry Hares with his sticky thread ability. However, his efforts were not without cost. After continuously using the ability for 15-20 minutes, he found himself completely drained of mana. His control ability wavered, and he was instantly transported back to the house.
As Finn materialized back at the house, Moonlight was momentarily startled. "You're back!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with both relief and concern. She quickly followed up with a worried question, "Where is Creambell?"
Finn was equally taken aback by Creambell's absence. "What!" he exclaimed in shock. "He hasn't returned?"
For a brief moment, panic gripped Moonlight, but then Creambell's telepathic voice reached her. "OPEN THE DOOR, MY QUEEN! OPEN THE DOOR!" Creambell's desperate plea echoed in her minds.
Hearing Creambell's cry for help, Moonlight didn't waste a second. She turned to Finn with a sense of urgency and shouted, "Open the door! Creambell is on his way!"