Kai and Lumi floated in silence through the forest, both still buzzing from their close call with the beast. They hadn’t seen any signs of it following them, but Kai kept his senses on high alert. He could feel a subtle shift in the air—the shadows seemed deeper, and the forest felt more alive, as though it had taken notice of them.

“So, uh… where to next?” Lumi asked, her voice a whisper in the stillness.

Kai thought for a moment. He was hardly an expert on the forest, but he remembered that the System had mentioned the term “Floating Forest.” Maybe there was more to this place than just trees and beasts.

“Let’s keep going this way. Maybe we’ll find something useful, like more creatures with essence or, if we’re lucky, some answers about this place.”

Lumi nodded, and together they drifted onward, keeping to the dimmest paths to avoid attention. After a while, they noticed a faint light through the trees—a strange blue glow that pulsed rhythmically, like a heartbeat.

They exchanged a curious look, then moved cautiously toward the light. The trees opened into a small clearing, where a series of shallow pools shimmered under the faint moonlight, their surfaces glowing an eerie blue. Mist floated above the water, and every so often, a ripple disturbed the stillness.

Kai drifted closer, drawn by the mysterious glow. “This place feels… different.”

“It’s beautiful,” Lumi whispered, her glow reflecting off the pools.

As Kai neared the edge of the first pool, a notification appeared.

[System Notice: You have discovered the Whispering Pools. Spirit lifeforms can absorb ambient essence here to aid evolution and growth.]

“Jackpot,” Kai said, a grin in his voice. “These pools might help us absorb essence without fighting.”

Lumi brightened with excitement. “Really? Let’s try it!”

Kai extended himself closer to the pool, feeling a gentle pull as wisps of blue essence floated from the water toward him. It was cool and soothing, unlike the essence he’d absorbed from bugs, which had been sharper and more erratic. As he absorbed it, he felt his glow brighten slightly, and his essence gauge inched upward.

Lumi joined in, absorbing essence beside him. “This is… amazing! It’s so calm.”

For a few minutes, they floated there in silence, absorbing the gentle energy from the pools. Kai felt himself relaxing, almost like he was in a dream. It was as though the forest itself were feeding him, whispering secrets he couldn’t quite hear.

Just as he was beginning to settle in, the peaceful atmosphere was shattered by a loud splashing sound. Both Kai and Lumi flinched, their glows dimming as they searched for the source.

From the far side of the clearing, a figure emerged—a larger, stronger-looking wisp with a deep violet glow. Unlike them, this wisp’s light was steady and powerful, and it seemed to have a vaguely humanoid form, with tendrils of light flowing around it like robes.

Kai swallowed. “Uh… friend or foe?”

The violet wisp floated closer, its glow pulsing in what seemed like annoyance.

“You two… are newcomers, aren’t you?” the violet wisp’s voice was deep and resonant, with an edge of exasperation. “Using the Whispering Pools like tourists. Do you even know what you’re doing?”

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Kai blinked—or thought he did. “Uh… not really?”

The violet wisp sighed, its light dimming slightly. “Typical. The Whispering Pools are reserved for those who have earned the right to use them. You can’t just absorb their essence like it’s a free meal.”

Lumi drifted back nervously. “We didn’t know… we’re just trying to survive.”

The violet wisp seemed to soften, its glow flickering. “Survival, huh? I suppose that’s understandable. But if you want to keep using these pools, you’ll need to earn it.”

Kai straightened—or as much as a wisp could. “And how do we do that?”

The violet wisp paused, considering them both. “You’ll need to prove your strength. There’s a creature that lurks near the pools—a Shadow Lurker. Take it down, and you’ll earn the right to absorb essence here freely.”

Lumi’s glow dimmed. “A… Shadow Lurker? That sounds dangerous.”

“Terrifying, more like,” the violet wisp replied. “But it’s the price of power in this forest.”

Kai felt a thrill of excitement. This was his chance to grow stronger—and to learn more about the world he’d found himself in. “Alright, we’ll do it. Where can we find this Shadow Lurker?”

The violet wisp nodded approvingly. “Follow the path to the east. It hides in the dark underbrush, but you’ll know it by the cold. Be careful—the Shadow Lurker is cunning and strikes from the shadows.”

With a final, assessing glance, the violet wisp drifted back into the mist, leaving Kai and Lumi alone by the pools.

“Are we really going to do this?” Lumi whispered, her voice tinged with fear.

Kai tried to sound braver than he felt. “We don’t have much choice if we want to keep getting stronger. Besides, we’ve got our wits and my new Mirage Illusion. We can outsmart it.”

Lumi hesitated, then nodded. “Alright… I trust you, Kai.”

They floated away from the pools, heading east along a narrow, twisting path. The further they went, the darker and colder it became. The trees grew taller and closer together, their branches forming a tangled canopy that blocked out the faint moonlight.

Kai felt his energy shift to a steady hum, every sense alert. “Remember, stay close, and if things go south, we use the Mirage to escape.”

Lumi nodded, keeping her glow low. They drifted through the shadows, their small lights barely piercing the darkness.

Suddenly, a chill ran through the air, prickling Kai’s senses. He stopped, holding a tendril up to signal Lumi to stay still. Ahead, in the blackness, something moved—a faint shimmer, barely visible against the shadows.

The Shadow Lurker.

It was an indistinct shape, like smoke given form, with eyes that gleamed like shards of ice. It was bigger than Kai had expected, its body shifting and blending with the darkness as it slunk toward them, silent and deadly.

Kai whispered to Lumi, “On my signal, I’ll create a decoy to distract it. When it goes for the illusion, we’ll hit it with everything we’ve got.”

Lumi nodded, her light flickering with nerves.

Kai focused, drawing on his essence to create the Mirage Illusion. A decoy of himself appeared a few feet away, glowing faintly. The Shadow Lurker paused, its icy gaze fixating on the decoy. Then, with a burst of speed, it lunged at the illusion, its claws tearing through empty air.

“Now!” Kai shouted.

Together, he and Lumi unleashed their combined energy, firing twin beams of light at the creature. The Shadow Lurker hissed, its form flickering as their attacks struck it, momentarily driving it back.

But it wasn’t done. Recovering quickly, the Shadow Lurker shifted and reformed, its eyes blazing with anger as it focused on them. With a low growl, it lunged forward, faster than before.

Kai barely had time to react. “Scatter!”

He and Lumi darted in opposite directions, their lights weaving through the trees as the Shadow Lurker chased them. Kai’s mind raced, searching for any advantage. They couldn’t keep dodging forever; sooner or later, it would catch them.

Then he remembered the pools.

“Lumi! Head back to the Whispering Pools!” he shouted.

She didn’t hesitate, following his lead as they wove through the forest, the Shadow Lurker hot on their trail. They reached the pools in moments, their lights reflecting off the water’s surface.

Kai turned to face the creature, drawing on his last reserves of essence. “Lumi, get ready to hit it when it comes close.”

The Shadow Lurker emerged from the trees, its eyes fixed on them with icy fury. It lunged, claws outstretched.

At the last second, Kai created another Mirage Illusion, positioning it beside the pool. The Shadow Lurker, blinded by its rage, slashed at the decoy, only to lose its balance and plunge into the pool with a loud splash.

Essence rippled through the water as the creature struggled, its dark form dissolving in the pool’s glow. Finally, with a last hiss, the Shadow Lurker faded into nothing, leaving only a faint swirl of darkness in the water.

Kai and Lumi floated there, breathless with relief.

“We did it,” Lumi whispered, her glow brightening in awe.

Kai felt a surge of triumph. “Yeah… we did.”

As they hovered by the pools, a new notification appeared.

[System Notice: Shadow Lurker defeated. Access to Whispering Pools granted. Essence absorption efficiency increased.]

Kai chuckled, his glow pulsing with excitement. “Looks like we’re officially allowed to use the pools now.”

Lumi smiled, her light flickering happily. “Thank you, Kai… I couldn’t have done this alone.”

He smiled back, feeling a warm glow spread through him. For the first time, he felt like he was truly growing, not just in power, but as a person—or whatever he was now.

And he had a feeling this was only the beginning.