The chicken had an odd appearance. Though its size was similar to an ordinary chicken, it was covered from head to toe in a pale, hard shell, making it look like a strange hybrid between a bird and a shelled reptile. Its shell was an unnatural stone-white, smooth and hard, with a faint sheen under the moonlight as if it had been polished like rock. Where its head met the shell was a soft, colorful neck covered in bright feathers, and its comb drooped slightly due to the shell's restrictions, giving it a somewhat comical look.
It cautiously shuffled towards the lake, each step clumsy and slow, likely weighed down by the shell. Its tiny black eyes darted around warily, as if ready to retreat into its shell at any moment. Each step was followed by a careful scan of its surroundings, making one wonder if it was prepared to flee at any second.
"This chicken is called a Burrower Chicken," Fido explained in a whisper, his eyes gleaming with excitement as if he was eagerly preparing to catch the peculiar creature. "It's extremely timid. Startle it even a bit, and it'll retreat into its shell immediately. Once inside, it will use its four small but powerful claws to dig into the ground swiftly," Fido continued, flashing a sly grin. "Once it's underground, it's almost impossible to find."
He picked up a small stone from the ground, eyeing the chicken's tiny feet. "If I can aim at its feet and stop it from digging, we'll catch it easily." His smile had a hint of cunning, though the dense fog made aiming rather tricky.
Perry glanced at the fog and had a sudden idea. "Since the fog is made of water, maybe I can control the moisture and gather it around the chicken, trapping it directly." The thought made him smile with excitement.
"That's a good idea, but are you sure you have enough magic left?" Fido agreed with Perry's plan but seemed concerned, casting a worried glance at him.
Perry scratched his head, hesitating, "Well…not entirely sure." He looked at the Burrower Chicken thoughtfully, then closed his eyes, thinking, *Hey, system, could you help me check my magic level?*
The system's voice replied in his mind with a calm, mechanical tone: *Direct magic level viewing is currently unavailable, but you should be able to control up to a bucket of water without issue.*
With a sigh of relief, Perry calculated the amount of fog needed. "That should be enough," he murmured to himself.
Seeing Perry lost in thought, Fido guessed his hesitation and suggested, "Why don't you try thinning the fog around the chicken first? That way, I can get a better shot at its feet, and you won't need to use much magic." Perry thought this could work, but aiming at the chicken's feet didn't seem like the most reliable approach.
"My aim is top-notch, trust me," Fido said, catching Perry's doubtful look. "I've caught plenty of creatures this way before."
Realizing that Fido knew this world better than he did, Perry thought his method might actually be the right one.
Perry waved his hand lightly, touching the fog, and whispered, "Control water flow." He could feel the moisture around him and, with his eyes closed, focused on it, guiding the mist towards the chicken. Slowly, he directed the fog to clear around the chicken.
Just then, Perry felt a gaze on him, as if someone was watching him from the shadows. He scanned his surroundings warily, but the sensation vanished as quickly as it came, like a fleeting illusion. Perry frowned slightly, feeling a pang of doubt.
"What's wrong?" Fido asked, concerned.
Perry didn't answer directly, just glancing around, and mentally asked the system, *System, can you sense if anyone else is nearby? I felt like someone was watching me.*
*Host, there are no other people's auras nearby.*
"Was it just my imagination?" Perry wondered to himself, deciding not to mention it to Fido, thinking it might have been a mistake on his part.
"No problem, just wait a moment," Perry refocused his attention.
"Great, now I can finally start watching," Fido said, aiming carefully. The chicken happened to be drinking water with its back turned to them.
Fido threw with all his might at the chicken's legs, hitting not only one but both feet. The chicken screeched and quickly withdrew into its shell, nearly falling into the water. Fido immediately rushed forward and, with quick reflexes, grabbed the chicken. Perry barely had time to react before Fido's strength pulled him along.
Fido quickly turned the shell upward to prevent the chicken from digging with its claws. Inside the shell, only its colorful feathers and four little legs were visible. Two of its intact claws emerged, waving rapidly.
"Now we just need to tie these two legs," Fido said, securing the extra vines from his waist around the chicken's legs, binding them tightly to the shell with a fisherman's knot for easy carrying.
Once the chicken was tied, Fido slung it over his back. "Alright, we've gathered all the ingredients. Let's hurry back; otherwise, we really might not make it."
They retraced their steps, with Perry raising his hand slightly to softly chant a spell. The thick mist thinned, making it easier to spot the glowing markers Fido had left. In the night, the faint glimmers on tree trunks formed a quiet path of light, guiding them forward.
The damp air in the forest at night held a sense of lurking movement. Everything seemed poised in the dark, with only occasional insect chirps and a few unknown cries punctuating the eerie silence, sending a shiver down Perry's spine. He couldn't shake the feeling of being watched and kept glancing around, fearful that some creature hidden in the shadows might suddenly leap out.
"Oh right, we still need the Silver Glass Flowers," Perry suddenly remembered, whispering a reminder.
Fido chuckled softly. "I haven't forgotten. I planted some Silver Glass Flowers nearby for convenience."
They continued through the forest, their footsteps quick but cautious. Occasionally, their clothes brushed past branches, creating faint rustles that mixed with the night's ambient sounds. Perry still felt a pair of eyes following them, glancing around with a lingering sense of unease.
Through the thinning mist, they finally saw the forest edge and the familiar path entrance. Fido stopped to look around as they reached the entrance, as if searching for something. Perry let out a small sigh of relief, feeling a bit more at ease.
Fido crouched by the path, carefully pushing aside some shrubbery leaves. "The Silver Glass Flowers should be here, shouldn't be hard to find."
While Fido searched, Perry discreetly untied the vines around his wrist, freeing his arm. He walked over to Fido and cast a skill that gently dispersed the mist, making the light clearer and revealing several silver flowers.
"Aha, there they are! Your skill really helped a lot," Fido said with a satisfied grin, following the clearer path Perry had made to a cluster of silver roses. They glimmered faintly in the night like delicate sculptures made of silver dust, growing quietly at the forest's edge.
"These are Silver Glass Flowers," Fido murmured, taking out a small glass container filled with a vivid red liquid. As he uncorked it, a faint sweet-sour aroma filled the air. Carefully, he poured the liquid along the Silver Glass Flower's stem. After a moment, the stem began to emit thin wisps of smoke, sizzling as it melted, until the blossom gently fell, glowing softly.
Fido swiftly gathered the flowers, placing them one by one into a prepared pouch, his movements skilled, as though he had done it countless times. He patted the pouch, hung it on his belt, then nodded at Perry, signaling they were ready to go.
They pushed open a small fence gate at the forest edge, ready to leave. But suddenly, Perry felt a chill run up his spine, and he stopped, instinctively scanning their surroundings. That familiar, unnerving feeling returned, like an invisible, icy gaze. His heart raced as he frantically looked around, dread mounting with every second.
Just then, a dark shadow appeared near a distant tree, its form faintly visible, blending with the night as if it were the embodiment of darkness itself. Perry's eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat, and he let out an involuntary scream, "Ah!"
Fido jumped at the unexpected shout, quickly shutting the fence gate behind them with a bang, locking them inside. "What is it?" He looked around cautiously, trying to locate the source of danger.
"There! Something's over there!" Perry's hand trembled as he pointed to where the shadow had appeared. But when they looked again, the spot was empty, only dark tree silhouettes swaying in the wind, carrying a hauntingly eerie atmosphere.
Was it a ghost? Perry wondered, lowering his hand as his throat went dry. He couldn't tell if it was merely his overactive imagination or… something real lurking in the darkness.