Chapter Seven: Ornaments · The Alliance of the Strange Tree

According to the prompt, the Peashooter possesses a certain level of intelligence and will automatically select its attack target based on the situation.

Ember and Not-a-Sword-Immortal exchanged glances at the Peashooters perched on each other's shoulders, smiling knowingly before returning to the intersection where they had first arrived, as originally planned. They chose this spot specifically because it ensured they wouldn't be attacked from behind, allowing them to handle any threats more easily.

“Better to be cautious!” Not-a-Sword-Immortal reminded Ember, who then carefully stepped out from the corner, slowly approaching the insect nest.

Their plan was to reveal themselves and lure the enemies out of the nest, then use the Peashooters’ ranged advantage to injure some of the Shadow-Eater Bugs. Afterward, they would exploit the narrowness of the intersection so Not-a-Sword-Immortal’s area attacks could be most effective, finally letting Ember, whose attacks were stronger, finish off the weakened enemies. This would ensure they could kill off a certain number of Shadow-Eater Bugs in a short period, preventing their numbers from becoming overwhelming.

Since they couldn’t be sure of the alert range of the Enhanced Juvenile Shadow-Eater Bug, Ember moved with exceptional caution. On his shoulder, the Basic Peashooter stood with its tiny arms akimbo, its small eyes scanning the surroundings vigilantly; clearly, its attack range was also less than the players’ maximum vision.

Suddenly, a massive insect crouched on a tree trunk raised its head, its antennae sensing danger in the air. Its pair of crimson compound eyes immediately locked onto Ember.

A piercing chirp split the silence, startling all the Shadow-Eater Bugs in the nest. In no time, more than a dozen of them surged out, charging ferociously at the intruder who had already turned to flee.

Ember retreated at once, while the Enhanced Juvenile Shadow-Eater Bug, its intelligence suppressed by instinct, failed to see through the ruse and immediately commanded its underlings to pursue the retreating invader. It leaped into the air, leading the charge.

“Hurry!” Not-a-Sword-Immortal noticed that the onslaught was fiercer than expected, and his heart tightened for Ember’s sake.

At that moment, Ember was sprinting toward the intersection at top speed, his Peashooter locking onto the leading Shadow-Eater Bug and firing a swiftly launched pea projectile. It struck the bug’s head with precision, making it stagger and allowing Ember to widen the gap and return to the intersection unscathed.

“Catch your breath—my turn!” As he brushed past Ember, Not-a-Sword-Immortal charged forward, sword in hand. Contrary to his name, the moment he gripped his sword, he radiated the confidence of a true sword immortal. Facing the oncoming Enhanced Juvenile Shadow-Eater Bug, he neither dodged nor retreated, stepping forward with a thrust that met the bug’s sharp wings. With a deft twist of his wrist, he deflected the creature's ferocious attack with a masterful technique.

Of course, the game was not reality; the main reason for his success in this clash was the newly acquired attribute points he had invested in strength after leveling up, allowing him to fight the bug to a standstill.

Due to inertia, the Enhanced Juvenile Shadow-Eater Bug lunged past the intersection, while Not-a-Sword-Immortal, like a wolf among sheep, swept his sword in a wide arc. Over a dozen Shadow-Eater Bugs crowded into the narrow passage, and in a single swing, he struck five of them. Meanwhile, Ember, now recovered, darted out from the side and finished off a wounded bug with a blow from his telescopic staff.

With two Peashooters providing constant fire and Not-a-Sword-Immortal’s area attacks working wonders, the bugs at the front all lost half their health, falling squarely within Ember’s kill threshold.

Even with the Enhanced Juvenile Shadow-Eater Bug raging behind them, Ember paid it no heed, striking down four more bugs in quick succession with his staff. Not-a-Sword-Immortal dispatched another, leaving only ten ordinary Shadow-Eater Bugs.

“I’ll hold them here; you take care of the big one!” Not-a-Sword-Immortal waited for his skill cooldown, then unleashed another sweeping attack, scattering the bugs. Though this left him nearly exhausted, it bought Ember precious time to face the Enhanced Juvenile Shadow-Eater Bug one-on-one.

“Don’t worry!” In the narrow passage, the two players—strangers until recently—demonstrated seamless cooperation. With only two stamina points left, Ember turned to meet the charging Enhanced Juvenile Shadow-Eater Bug head-on. Not-a-Sword-Immortal held back the swarm behind him, ensuring Ember’s attacks went unimpeded.

The telescopic staff clashed with the bug’s razor wings mid-air, and the Enhanced Juvenile Shadow-Eater Bug, oblivious to what awaited it, was once again slowed.

Though Ember had lost some time finishing off the lesser bugs, his Peashooter made up for it by dealing additional damage. Two seconds was all Ember needed to recover some stamina, counterattack, and reduce the Enhanced Juvenile Shadow-Eater Bug’s health to single digits before the slow effect wore off.

Enraged, the massive bug bared its fangs, realizing this human opponent was not to be underestimated. It immediately called for reinforcements. But Not-a-Sword-Immortal held the middle of the passage, paying special attention to any bugs trying to flank them, taking the brunt of the attacks to give Ember the best chance at victory.

Seeing the Enhanced Juvenile Shadow-Eater Bug could only withstand three more hits, Ember stopped dodging and blocking, focusing solely on landing his blows as quickly as possible to finish the fight and rush to Not-a-Sword-Immortal’s aid.

He understood that Not-a-Sword-Immortal was bearing even greater pressure than himself.

The bug’s last counterattack, though fierce, was a final, desperate effort. Its sharp wings left a deep gash in Ember’s basic protective suit, damaging its durability, but Ember stubbornly beat it to death.

When the kill notification sounded, Ember didn’t even bother checking for loot—he immediately went to support his companion. Together, they blocked the passage left and right, swiftly wiping out the panicked minions bereft of their leader.

The battle came at a cost. Even with the Peashooters’ help, Ember lost a third of his health and half his armor’s durability; Not-a-Sword-Immortal fared even worse, losing more than half his health and seeing his armor utterly destroyed.

“There’s no gain without a little loss. A quest this difficult isn’t going to let us off easy, right?” Not-a-Sword-Immortal took it all in stride, tearing off his ruined armor and tossing it aside before joining Ember in looting the battlefield.

Of all the Shadow-Eater Bugs that swarmed out, only the leader dropped a piece of armor upgrade material called [Shadow-Eater Bug Carapace]. However, the nest’s hidden stash yielded handsome rewards: some [Sweet Forest Fruits] to restore health, a piece of armor stitched from beast hide, and a [Broken Heartwood]—an item needed for the insect nest quest.

“See? What did I tell you? All things considered, we’ve come out ahead!” Not-a-Sword-Immortal laughed and quickly split the loot with Ember. Thanks to Ember’s willingness to concede, the beast hide armor went to Not-a-Sword-Immortal, while the second upgrade material ended up with Ember. When the trial ended, he too would be able to improve his defenses.

Afterward, the two shared the Sweet Forest Fruits to heal up fully, took the quest item, and found the expectant Tree Guardian.

“Heavens! Is that what I think it is? The core of a Tree Guardian! Those damned bugs actually killed my companion! Oh, how I hope to see the Gardener soon—maybe there’s still a way to revive it.”

The Tree Guardian’s grief was palpable, but even in sorrow, it did not forget to reward the players.

[Notification: You have completed the side quest “A Tree Guardian’s Request.” You receive contribution points, 500 credits, and the accessory ‘Treefolk Alliance.’]

...

[Treefolk Alliance] (Basic)

Equipment Type: Accessory

Special Effect: Map Recording, Shared Vision

Requirement: Perception Level 1

Description: This accessory bears witness to your friendship with the treefolk. You may share vision with Tree Guardians, provided you have their permission. It also records terrain features. Known locations have been marked by the Tree Guardian, and you can expand the map with your own exploration or by gathering information from other treefolk.

[Note: This accessory is unique to Darkveil Forest and cannot be taken out of the trial area.]

...

The “Treefolk Alliance” was a brooch shaped like a vibrant green leaf. Having just increased his Perception, Ember now met the requirements to use it. Checking the map stored within, he immediately discovered both the insect nest and another location called “Wolf Valley.”

“You plan to head to Wolf Valley? I’d advise caution. You’re strong, but that wolf is a formidable foe,” the Tree Guardian warned gravely, carefully storing the Broken Heartwood. “The wolf, though a lone outcast, is stronger than two Enhanced Juvenile Shadow-Eater Bugs combined.”

Ember and Not-a-Sword-Immortal exchanged a look, then asked, “What should we do to defeat it?”

“I hope your curiosity doesn’t cost you your lives,” the Tree Guardian sighed, leaves rustling down from its branches. “Follow this path and you’ll meet the Chief Tree Guardian. If it guides you, defeating the wolf shouldn’t be a problem. It also runs a forest supply post; show the sign of the Treefolk Alliance for a discount, and you might find something useful.”