Popo sat on a rooftop, bored out of his mind. He picked at his nose and looked at the street below. Players and natives traversed it, each busy with their own stuff. Some went to the fields or the mountains to hunt. Some sold their materials. casually chatted in groups, or tried hard to earn coins in various ways. It was idyllic and dull.

"Why is he taking so long? It's already been a couple of hours..." He murmured under his breath and scratched at his buttocks. The roof was covered in scalding hot straw, stewing his ass.

Squeak.

Ro, perched on his shoulder, squeaked in annoyance. It couldn't understand why Popo was so hung up on the half-ling. He had already finished his test, and they could depart to a city. Yet, he persistently stayed in Lesotte, playing a game of tag with the guy.

"You don't understand. My guts are telling me that something will happen. I have a rather good sense of these things. I can sniff out a juicy gossip or thrilling new information from half a kilometer."

Squeak Squeak

The equivalent of 'yeah right' and a glance filled with suspicion made Popo aware of how little faith his familiar had in his skills.

He grimaced and scoffed, "You are grumpy because of your diet. Don't worry. You will get used to the new regime. I will make you a hunk in the world of rodents!"

Squeak!!!! Squeak! Squeak!!

Ro cried angrily and jumped a few times. It used its nails to pierce its master's clothes and draw blood. How did he dare to act smugly? How can he speak so proudly of his atrocious behavior?! Hmph, Ro was already handsome. His master had no idea how popular he was with ladies and gentlemen of all races and ages!

Ignoring the tantrum, Popo plucked a stalk from the rooftop and bit at its end. He felt like a parent rearing a small naughty child. He couldn't and shouldn't spare the rod. Otherwise, the kid would grow spoiled.

Though, it is probably late. That mouse can't get any more eccentric and quirky... He thought, and under the BGM of squeaking and trashing, he considered his next move.

I hope Midnight doesn't plan to coop himself in the cave. If this continues for days, I should bite the bullet and give up. The silly mouse has a point. Instead of chasing a dangerous person for the slim possibility of grasping curious information, choosing a city will be more profitable and fun.

According to my sources, Raven and Renata are in the City of White. My last business with the elf was rather successful. I won't suffer if I join hands with that pair... I wonder what they are up to right now. Laying the groundwork for their new guild? Nah, it's been so many days. The guild may have already been established and is recruiting for members...

He yawned and observed the nearby inn. From this position, he could see both Midnight's window and the inn's only door. As long as trespassing through one of the other rooms was impossible, the half-ling had no choice but to use one of these routes.

...

In the Hole of Darkness.

Midnight checked his map function. He had walked for a while, but there was still no sign of a vein, only rocks, monsters, and more rocks.

My pace is too slow. The terrain and the monsters are a pain in the ass. I can use spells to hide myself and bypass undetected, but it will drain me in no time. Besides, I shouldn't leave any latent threats on my way for retreat.

He rummaged the contents of his bag and counted the potions. Six vials of green liquid and eleven of blue. Despite being the lowest grade possible, they cost him a small fortune.

I have enough water and food. It is unknown how deep I should reach before I can mine. For now, I have to be frugal. Rest more, and waste less.

So what if the pace is a bit slow? Perhaps that mouse out there will get fed up and leave me alone!

He felt whistful. Shaking his head, he looked at the two tunnels in front.

The main tunnel he had followed until now suddenly divided into two ununiform ones. A narrow one to the right and a wider one to the left. After a moment of thought, he followed his good feelings and went left.

The temperature gradually rose. The cold wetness slowly retreated in front of the stifling humidity.

About half a kilometer later, the corridor widened and formed a large hollow. It was empty, spacious, and strangely rectangular.

What is this place? This shape doesn't feel natural. It resembles a chamber dug with some purpose. But what for? By whom?

He narrowed his eyes and didn't dare to enter. Instead, he stretched out his mystic perceptions and 'groped' through the cave.

Instantly, he felt a flux from above. It wasn't the signature of a monster. The mana leaked by organic beings was unstable. Like a pulse, its amount oscillated between a high and a low tide. While this wave was extremely stable and constant. It came from a mineral and resembled the natural radiation throughout Euclex.

No, it is thicker and much more refined. I have felt this familiar feeling before. It came from the mana ore I once saw in the General Store! It was hella expensive!

He excitedly looked up, and his breath halted. The ceiling was overgrown with dense mushrooms? They were translucent blue and resembled beautiful gems. Stacked together, they looked like a mesmerizing crystalline carpet that gently reflected the glow of the Luminescent Moss dotting the walls. Looking at this carpet, he felt tranquil. The hollow was calm.

Marvelous... Yes, this is how an adventure should be. Fewer monsters and more beautiful coin-raining scenery... These crystalline mushrooms look rare and should fetch plenty. I wonder if I can climb up or use magic to pluck out a few. Perhaps I can use them instead of a gemstone. If I set them in jewelry then-

His thoughts were interrupted by a tremor, and he furrowed his brows. He didn't want to miss this opportunity to harvest some precious materials.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

A quick scan of the cavern revealed a thick column near the entrance. Without further ado, he made a decision. He took a few steps, hid behind the rocky formation, and furtively peeked into the cave.

Crunch Crunch Crunch

Soon, the tremor changed into noise. It was the sound of someone or something burrowing through the rocks. As the crunching became louder, the middle of the floor protruded and caved.

From the new opening, a monster slowly emerged. It resembled an Earthworm and moved in a similar manner. It expanded and contracted its soft-looking body as it wriggled into the cave. Sticky green goo dripped down and made it scarcely glisten in the dim light. It smelled horrible.

After it fully emerged, the worm happily wiggled around. It was large. The cross-section of its thick body was probably the length of an adult man's forearm, and its length could fit Midnight twice.

I can hardly describe it as beautiful, but it seems rather friendly?

From his cover, Midnight lampooned. He watched the worm rear up its body, and sway it gently around.

Damn it...

A moment later it finally turned and faced his direction making him cuss.

It didn't have eyes. The only organ on its 'face' was a mouth. It resembled a round hole, surrounded by rows and rows of sharp teeth. These rows weren't idle and rotated in different directions crushing and milling the rocks.

That worm is horrifying! No, it may not be a worm. It's a fantasy meat grinder... It seems to use its rotating seesaw-like teeth to dig through the mountain. I wonder if it feeds on the rocks...

The thing didn't sense him and turned in a different direction. Without the terrific sight of the teeth, he relaxed. He didn't rush to flee from the scene and instead, cuddled in his hidden location, and made his breath shallow. He was curious about what this thing would do next.

There is no need to fight it. I am a gentleman. I can wait for a few minutes for it to finish its business. Anyway, there are plenty of mushrooms and I am not in a hurry.

He thought but time passed and the worm didn't seem to have any other appointments.

1 minute, 2 minutes...

It moved slowly, swayed happily, and looked at the ceiling. Its expression lit up. Or at least, that's how Midnight perceived it. It seemed to want to snack on the crystals but was too lazy to climb. It just stood there, mesmerized by the treat.

That's it? For such a glamorous creature, it is surprisingly laid back.

5 minutes, 6 minutes...

The worm looked bored, lay down, and fell silent.

Go on, Benjamin. I believe you can do it. Climb and pick a few mushrooms. And if, by chance, some fall to the ground, don't mind me as I take them for myself. Shouldn't we support each other when possible?

Sharing the worm's feelings and somehow getting used to its creepy appearance, Midnight couldn't help but inwardly urge it. He even gave it a name.

In his humdrum, he imagined a contrived romance story. Benjamin was the son of an old farmer. He fell in love with an especially good-looking worm lady. However, she was the sole daughter of the village chief and already had a fiance. The only way for Benjamin to earn the chief's recognition and snatch his first love was to bring one of these mushrooms. After an arduous journey, he finally found the cave spoken in legends. Unfortunately, he had sprained his tail as a child and couldn't climb walls... The story was third-rate, but it was touching enough.

Time continued to tick, and ten minutes passed. Midnight yawned and considered fighting the worm. He couldn't spend the whole day watching Benjamin salivate in front of the mushrooms, now could he?

Even so. he continued to observe. His mind wandered. A few times, he nearly stepped out of his hiding location, eager to harvest. He wanted to join Benjamin and look at the beautiful carpet up close.

Around the fifteenth minute, he sensed something, and his eyes narrowed.

A beautiful translucent tentacle had unknowingly stretched down from the ceiling. It hovered gently above the huge worm before it shot down and pierced its body.

There goes the love story. How lucky...

He opened his lips but closed them again. His eyes glistened, and a strange smile emerged on his lips. It was a mixture of envy, desire, and anger.

Suddenly, his heart stirred, and he snapped out of his daze.

I just thought Benjamin was lucky and enviable... I-I nearly ran out there to get myself a tentacle in the chest...

What are those crystals? Why do they give off the feeling of minerals when they possess life? Did they somehow deceive me? They are equipped with a powerful charm. It temporarily overcame my Sage skill...

In the next moment, numerous tentacles descended and followed the prior example. They wrapped themselves around Benjamin or pierced its flesh. Green blood gushed out of its wounds and sprayed in the cavern. Before long, the worm turned into a strange bloody chrysalis. And throughout this, it didn't move, cry, or try to escape. It just stood there swaying silly and eyelessly gazing above.

Watching this scene, Midnight felt apathetic and calm. The situation had gone out of control, yet, he didn't feel fear or worry. Instead, he was peaceful and happy as if he was enjoying a beautiful show. The previous smile still hung on his lips, and the desire to enter the cave intensified further.

It's like I have a split personality. Half of me is logical and aware. The other half wants to step out and embrace death by these tentacles. It's like the negative emotions I should feel are erased...

While in thought, he saw the tentacles slowly contract and lift the bluish cocoon. It ascended higher and higher until it reached the crystallin carpet and was assembled in it.

These mushrooms are a strange monster. They are the fantasy version of the carnivore fungi. Instead of microbes, they hunt other monsters and humans. They use their mana as nutrients.

What am I doing, standing here and watching? I should flee as fast as I can. Move... I should move...

He closed his eyes and exhaled. The urge to keep watching was overbearing. He had to use every drop of willpower to fight it. With his mystic perceptions, he felt a few tentacles creep down once again. They found his location and gently glided toward it.

He didn't panic, or more like he couldn't.

With his eyes closed, he reached up and pressed on his ears. Reducing the outside stimuli couldn't block the charm transmitted through mana, but it could help him concentrate on his body. Besides, he was still relatively resistant.

His actions bore fruits. He finally forced his feet to take the first step. It was sluggish and slow but it was a good start. After the first one, followed another, and one more. Time seemed to stagnate.

Tap Tap Tap

Step by step, he reached the cave entrance, closely followed by the beautiful tentacles. They appeared somehow confused but reluctant to leave the mage be.

That's right. Slowly. I am nearly outside. Just a bit more. Don't be rash. Don't open your eyes. Concentrate on walking. Move those damn legs.

Swoosh

A bold tentacle shot out and pierced his shoulder. It dug deep into the flesh and punctured his scapula. It trembled as if electrocuted and began to greedily devout mana and blood.

Fuck.

He cursed but didn't feel pain. There was only a terrible sensation of his pool drying up as his face lost the already scarce colors.

Don't mind it. Don't stop. Keep going.

With each step, the influence he felt dimmed. His wound began itching, and he sensed a spark of emotion return.

Pa

The moment he entered the corridor, he opened his eyes, clenched his lips, and clapped loudly. His spirituality stirred, and two chains of incomprehensible symbols and labels leaped out of his brain and wrapped over the tentacle.

However, they didn't flash. The spirituality that should have connected and activated the symbols, was sucked away by the creature.

I caught you!

He smiled, feeling the instability in the chains. The symbols wriggled and collapsed with an eerie soundless explosion. What he did was feed the creature a fake spell. One barely sustained using willpower and mana. The moment the tentacle devoured the spell's energy, the structure naturally broke down, causing a backlash.

His head buzzed. He felt his brain swell and his thoughts turned chaotic. However, the creature suffered as well. Tiny cracks formed on the crystal. As if surprised and scared, the tentacle reacted exaggeratedly. It tore through his wound and instantly pulled out.

Now!

With a sliver of consciousness, assaulted by an exaggerated headache, Midnight turned around and dashed to the main tunnel.

Behind him, the tentacles swayed but didn't attempt to follow out of the cave.