Afterward, I proceeded towards the layered gateway, carrying the spoils.
Was it possible to bring them back without placing the ingredients inside the gateway? If I simply held them, could they return with me? If so, there would be no need for this strenuous journey. However, if not, it would certainly pose a problem. The Forest Sovereign wasn't a creature that appeared out of nowhere. Even after spending a whole day exploring the Forest of Trials, there were instances where it failed to show up.
With the hope of not missing out on any rare materials, I personally carried them all the way to the layered gateway.
I strapped the sword to my waist and held the blood-stained shield's rim in my left hand. In my right hand, I grasped the severed head of the deer.
There was no other choice. Since I couldn't remove the antlers, I had to cut off the head instead. Although it was a bit challenging to sever the bones, they weren't as tough as the antlers.
As I descended along the valley, a rustling sound caught my eye from the right. It wasn't a creature. There was a faint scent of blood carried by the wind.
"Hey! It's a beast!"
The man, who was now moving the hind leg of the butchered deer, looked at me and hesitated.
"A beast?"
"Oh, uh..."
The man stumbled and stood up.
"Is that you, Han?"
"Do I need to introduce myself every time you see me?"
I dragged the severed deer head along as I moved forward. The fact that appearances could be deceiving became evident. My clothes were torn from the battle with the sovereign, and I wore a makeshift armor of deer hide, stained with the deer's blood.
Soon, Jenna emerged from the depths of the forest. Her sleeves were also stained with blood.
"Oh, hey, oppa?"
"I'm tired, lend me a hand."
I tossed the deer head in front of Jenna.
"Roll, roll. Feast your eyes on the dead deer."
"Why is this deer so huge?!"
"I went hunting for a big one."
"Oh, you should have called me! I would have joined you earlier."
Jenna held the deer's head with both hands.
The blood stains on her dress didn't seem to bother her.
"She's quite a character."
"If there was one word to describe her, it would be unpredictable."
"That's why I brought her along."
"How many did you get?"
"Two deer and a wild pig. That should keep everyone in the lounge satisfied for a while."
"Everyone in the lounge?"
"Yes. We don't eat among ourselves only. But why did you bring the head? The head doesn't taste good."
"I brought it because of the antlers. They just wouldn't fall off."
"Now that I think about it, this one is a female deer with antlers."
"Could you tell the gender just by looking at the head?"
"Of course. I've spent a long time in the woods, you know."
We arrived at the layered gateway.
First, I sprinkled the blood from the shield.
[Han() has collected Sovereign's Blood.]
"Good."
If it hadn't worked, I would have meant discarding valuable materials.
Then, I instructed Jenna to throw the head into the layered gateway.
[Jenna() has collected Sovereign's Antlers.]
"This works too."
The head, which wasn't recognized as an item, disappeared, and only the antlers seemed to have been transported.
Before the layered gateway, three party members diligently moved the gathered materials.
[Louis() has collected Deer Hide.]
[Jeffery() has collected Wild Hog Meat.]
[Owen() has collected Tree Branch.]
Finally, I quickly tossed in the elemental stone without anyone noticing. The collection complete message appeared.
[Ching!]
[Ability Awakening!]
[Jenna() has acquired the Woods Tracker skill!]
"Again, she's awakening, huh."
The Woods Tracker skill is a passive ability that enhances combat performance in forest conditions and provides bonuses for animal hunting. Considering her background of living in the forest and having a tracker as a father, I had some expectations.
In what felt like no time, the materials gathered before the layered gateway were revealed.
[03:21]
"Should I get one more?"
"Leave it. We'll be going back soon."
"But how do you know this? Are you practicing magic or something?"
"You'll figure it out soon enough."
When a magician joins and a magical research lab is built, the research tab opens up.
Among the research options, there is a category called Responsiveness Research. This research aims to improve the heroes' ability to respond to the master's orders. The higher the research level, the clearer the heroes' understanding and ability to discern the master's demands.
"If it weren't for me, those who came here would have wandered around cluelessly and probably returned with virtually nothing. I know this from my own experience as a master."
"I sent them to gather resources, but they returned with nothing."
"If my prediction is correct, when the research is completed, people here can soon perceive the system as well. But we're not there yet."
I found a comfortable spot under the shade of a nearby tree and relaxed, resting my legs.
A refreshing breeze blew, carrying a faint scent of the forest. As I relaxed, the three men also relaxed, keeping an eye on me.
Soon, a bright light enveloped us.
[Mission Complete!]
[The hero will return to the waiting room.]
[Acquired Items]
[Tree Limb x54]
[Deer Hide]
We returned through the layered crack.
Stepping out into the square, it was already late at night. The three men bid me goodbye and disappeared into their lodgings, ready to rest.
[Tips/Need more materials? Gather the idle heroes and send them to the weekly dungeon!]
[Form a party.]
[Simplify heroes!]
[Han() will be removed from Party 4.]
[Jenna()]
This time, Anytng removed all the current members from Party 4 and started forming a new party with Aaron leading the way, along with Dika and three more people.
It was a necessary measure since heroes who had proactively visited the weekly dungeon couldn't go again until the next day. Of course, with special abilities, they could go two times or even three times. They were referred to as Collection Specialists and were responsible for gathering resources.
Jenna pouted and grumbled.
"I want to hunt a bit more. I don't know when I'll get another chance."
[Jenna() wishes to participate in the Woods Weekly Dungeon.]
"But she can't. It's not possible."
"Anyway, I should inform Chloe-nee about this good news. We can finally enjoy a meat dish!"
"Tell her when you wake up. Get up and tell her."
It was time to approach Chloe.
As the one in charge of cooking, she moved faster at night and in the morning than others.
Yawning, I made my way back to the lodging.
Having collected the Windstone, only the Fire and Water stones remained.
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