Sunlight streamed through the window, spilling gently onto Chris's face. She bit her lip, clutching the neatly packed bag in front of her. Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the door to her room.
"Chris, have you made up your mind?"
Chris glanced back at her room, her eyes clouded with bittersweet memories. "Let's go," she murmured softly.
Terry Al sighed, but chose to stay silent. With one last glance around, he turned and walked out, his steps heavy with unspoken thoughts.
At the gates of Kodo City, a few carriages stood waiting. The drivers lounged about, their eyes scanning for prospective clients.
Terry Al handed ten silver coins to one of the drivers, who looked at him with startled disbelief.
"Master Terry... Are you sure? Where do you plan to go?" The driver, well-acquainted with the young man often seen delivering goods around town, was both curious and baffled. But money talked. Today, Terry Al was "Master Terry."
"I'm heading to the Enchanted Forest."
"What? Oh heavens, no! I won't go there, absolutely not!"
Terry Al chuckled. "Relax. Just drop me nearby. I don't plan on venturing too deep myself."
"Ah... Alright then, Master Terry. Please, this way," the driver said hesitantly, pocketing the coins. Whether the young man was going to his doom was none of his concern.
The carriage rumbled along the dirt road as the looming silhouette of the Enchanted Forest drew closer. This mysterious woodland was a spectacle of nature's magic, its vibrant blossoms unaffected by the seasons, blooming perpetually.
From a distance, the forest shimmered like a painter's palette, a sea of dazzling hues stretching endlessly.
---
**Enchanted Bloom**
A low-tier magical plant with no offensive capabilities but a deadly allure. Its fragrance induces hallucinations, and prolonged exposure strengthens its poisonous effects.
The forest of blooms, revered as a seventh-tier divine graveyard, had claimed the lives of countless adventurers—human and beast alike—who wandered too deep.
---
The driver stopped at a safe distance, visibly uneasy.
"This is as far as I'll go, Master Terry. You see, uh..."
Terry Al raised a hand, cutting him off. "That's fine. I can take it from here. You can head back."
Grateful for the reprieve, the driver wiped the sweat from his brow and hastily drove off, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake.
"Are you really planning to collect Enchanted Bloom seeds?" Chris finally broke her silence, her worry evident.
"Don't worry. I've got it all under control."
After walking a short distance, Terry Al stopped. He opened the Summoning Gate, releasing his full horde of zombies—over forty thousand of them. The sheer scale left Chris pale with shock.
Yingzi bounded over to Terry Al with exaggerated cheer, giving an absurdly theatrical bow.
"Greetings, Master! Greetings, Mistress!"
"Mistress?" Terry Al stared at Yingzi, utterly speechless. What kind of twisted imagination did this zombie have?
"Yingzi, do you see those flowers ahead? I need you all to collect their seeds. Can you handle it?"
"Of course! But, Master, could you please stop giving us such trivial chores? Yingzi wants to grow stronger!"
Terry Al smirked. "Deal. As long as you don't start whining like a child, I'll make sure you get stronger."
Satisfied, Yingzi nodded before letting out a shrill cry. The zombie horde surged forward like a tide, crashing into the floral expanse.
The untouched beauty of the Enchanted Forest was no match for their onslaught. The air filled with the rustling of trampled flowers and shattered stems. The mesmerizing sea of blossoms rapidly transformed into a field of ruin.
Terry Al massaged his temples as he watched the chaos unfold. These zombies... they just didn't know when to stop.
Suddenly, bursts of golden light erupted from the horde. Yingzi had leveled up. Terry Al quickly opened his summoning space to check her status.
---
**Blood Zombie**
Tier 2: Can restore health by consuming blood. Reduced vulnerability to sunlight.
---
"Seriously? Even trampling flowers can trigger an upgrade?"
Unbeknownst to Terry Al, the Enchanted Bloom was no ordinary plant. As a magical flora imbued with unique properties, it offered an unexpected boon to his summoned creatures.
Empowered by the upgrade, Yingzi redoubled her efforts, inspiring the rest of the zombies to intensify their frenzied destruction. Terry Al could only sigh helplessly at the sight.
"So much for the Enchanted Forest. It sure could've used a few pea shooters," he muttered under his breath.
But the worst was yet to come.
As Yingzi ascended to the next tier, her golden glow surged brighter, signaling the true calamity of the Enchanted Forest.
---
**Flying Zombie**
Tier 3: Fully resistant to sunlight. Enhanced combat capabilities. Capable of low-altitude flight.
Summoning Space Expansion: **Campsite Unlocked.**
**Farmhand**
Tier 1: A former farmer turned recruit, now ready to embrace a life of battle. Monthly production: 1.
---
Terry Al stood dumbfounded at his sudden gains. Not only had his zombies advanced significantly, but the activation of his second summoning ability had enhanced his own physical attributes. His muscles grew visibly stronger, his stature taller.
Chris stared at him, wide-eyed, as if she were seeing a monster instead of the boy she had known.
Terry Al, oblivious to her reaction, focused intently on the newly airborne zombies as they soared over the forest, their shadows casting ominous patterns on the ground.
The Enchanted Forest's vibrant hues were fading rapidly, reduced to desolation.
The destruction finally caught the attention of the forest's true guardian: the Enchantress Flower Demon.
Emerging amidst the chaos, her stunning visage was marred by a deadly frost in her gaze.
"Foolish mortals, you will pay for your transgressions," she declared coldly.
Without further words, the Enchantress Flower Demon raised her delicate hands. Around her, the remaining Enchanted Blooms began to writhe and grow, their tendrils transforming into whip-like appendages. With a piercing shriek, they lashed out at the zombies, ensnaring them.
The tendrils pierced the zombies' flesh, injecting a potent toxin.
Watching her enemies bound and immobilized, the demon's icy demeanor softened into satisfaction. Nothing on this continent, human or beast, could resist her enchantment. Soon, they would succumb to blissful hallucinations, fading away into eternal slumber.
But to her shock, the bound "mortals" began moving once more.