Since the site of my battle with the Moss Wolves is close by, it doesn't take me long to reach the area, though I smack my head into a couple branches as I walk due to me being unused to my new stature. The only problem is that the area that should be littered with several Moss Wolf corpses is clear of all signs of battle, with a new addition I am immediately wary of. I peek around one of the Shaded Blackbirch Saplings, eyeing the unnatural object whilst looking around for any monsters or traps. Intertwined within several tree roots, a wooden chest is sitting below a newly grown Blackbirch Sapling that was not here when I had last been here. Focusing my new [Runic Vision] Skill in the same way I Analyzed things when it was [Eyes Of Aspirations] before, I get some answers to the questions brought about by the strange sight in front of me.

{Blackbirch Arboro Sapling Hoarder: Level 25}

[Highest Stat: Recovery]

(Dungeon Chest)

These chests are filled with various treasures of a greater quality than usually dropped by a Dungeon’s monsters, but due to this, greater threats guard these spoils. Defeat the defenders of a Dungeon Chest, and the rewards shall be yours!

While the chest definitely intrigues me, I am a little annoyed that the Dungeon seemingly absorbed the Moss Wolves, their carcasses gone along with any signs of battle that were here before. My only hope is that I can find something edible soon, otherwise I will have to wait until I leave the dungeon to fill my grumbling stomach. As for the treasure’s guardian, I can't tell if it has any distinguishable differences from its Level 10 ilk other than it being slightly taller than the average sapling around me. The inclusion of its highest Stat is nice, but I figured it would be Recovery based on the near instantaneous regrowth of limbs its fellows can do. I scan the surroundings to see if any of those said monsters are nearby, but it seems I've lucked out and the only Arboro in the area is the one growing around the treasure chest.

Good, something I can test my new capabilities on.

Activating [Shadows Of Doubt], I creep around my hiding place and stalk forwards as quietly as possible towards the Arboro. As I do so, I try out one of the new features of my [Versatile Tail] Skill, focusing on the tips of my twin tails and altering their natural shape as I approach the glorified monster tree. Both half-heart shaped tips lengthen by about an inch, the curved edge of the leathery tip tapering into a sharp point, with the usually fleshy texture replaced by a stiffness reminiscent of bone. With the 2nd Tier effect of [Versatile Tail] I shape my tail tips into a pair of bony blades as sharp as any dagger. While I could've used [Light Of Justice] to achieve a similar, if not better, effect, the aforementioned light it produces would unnecessarily alert anything around me to my position, so I elected to go for the stealthier option that should still be very deadly.

I manage to get within about 15 feet of my target without being noticed, which is well within the range of my 20 feet long tails. As such, I decide to aim for a fatal strike in one blow, aiming for a section of trunk thinner than myself located just inches above the treasure chest the Arboro is protecting. Due to a combination of my high Dexterity and the improved precision given by [Versatile Tail], both my tails whip towards the section of trunk, bisecting the weak point instantly as the blades at the tips slice through each side, both tips empowered by [Tail Whip] and [Power Slash]. The attack also ends [Shadows Of Doubt], but it is no longer necessary to keep it up as the Arboro crashes to the ground, green motes of light already starting to waft off the dissolving bark.

While somewhat anticlimactic, I am glad that I took it down so fast. Even if it was because of a sneak attack, the ease at which my tails slashed through the wood attests to my newfound power, especially when I consider how my arguably most powerful Skill, [Light Of Justice], wasn't even active for the attack. Right when the tree finishes dissolving into green light, which includes the roots covering the chest, I receive the message informing me of my victory.

[You Have Defeated {Blackbirch Arboro Sapling Hoarder: Level 25}]

[Reward Drops Shall Now Be Generated]

Instead of the flash of light at my feet that I expect from the generation of drops from defeated Dungeon monsters, I hear a clicking noise coming from the chest in front of me. It seems that the chest had been locked as well as being guarded by a relatively high Level monster, with said monster’s loot apparently being included with whatever is inside the chest. After making sure there are no other surprises around, I rush towards the wooden chest and lift its lid up as fast as I can. What greets me is an assortment of various items, with pretty much all of them being useful to me immediately, besides the several copper coins scattered about that is. Before anything else, the fuzzy, grass green colored object immediately attracts my attention, and I grab it and start putting it on right away as I read the item’s description.

(Sunlight Moss Fur Trousers)

Made from the fur of a {Sunlight Moss Wolf Alpha}, these trousers are fairly resistant to bladed attacks, and are highly resistant to (Light) based damage. Additionally, these trousers repair themself over time when exposed to natural sunlight.

I unlatch my belt buckle, loosen the hold on the scraps of cloth generously described as a skirt, which immediately falls to the ground, and replace the makeshift garment with the newly acquired pair of green fur pants. As I pull the first half up my leg, I worry that it will be too tight, but as I watch, the pant’s leg stretches to accommodate the lean muscle of my long leg, fitting me perfectly once equipped. The same happens once I stick my other leg in, and the trousers readjust at every section to fit my body perfectly. By the time it is fully in place, I don't even need to tighten my belt again to keep the pants up. I still do so though, as my pouch is tied to the belt, but I still appreciate the way the trousers resized, as I think I will have some trouble finding apparel fit for my stature otherwise.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

The only issue I have is the color. While it might be due to the exclusively green lighting coming from the Luminvines, the green pants stick out against my crimson skin like a sore thumb. I'll have to wait for better lighting, but I suspect the odd color won't look good in any situation I can think of. This is but a minor complaint in the grander scheme of things however, as the benefits it offers greatly outweigh this small issue. On top of giving me some protection I have a great need for after my last pieces of armor got destroyed, it also has the ability to repair itself. That will be something I have to test once I get outside, and it's a shame I can't repair it with [Light Of Justice] due to the “natural sunlight” stipulation, but hopefully this will mean I will have at least one piece of clothing I won't have to replace after every few battles.

A grumble originating from my stomach interrupts my musing, and moves my focus to a stack of objects wrapped in what looks like Shaded Blackbirch leaves that are taking up most of the space in the wooden chest. As I pick up one of the packages in two hands, a somewhat familiar scent reaches my nose, and I unwrap the object, revealing a thick piece of raw Moss Wolf meat. The appearance of the slab of raw meat is too much for me and my hungry stomach, and I dig into the meal greedily. The taste is just as euphoric as I remember, and I let out a pleased groan as I swallow the last bit of savory wonder down my throat. Even with this chunk of raw flesh being at least two or three pounds itself, I still grab a second leaf-wrapped package to devour, my hunger only somewhat sated by the initial meal. The stack of neatly packaged meat dwindles as I feast, with only a single package remaining by the time I am full, having finished four slabs single-handedly. I'm unsure if the ravenous appetite was caused by the Evolution process, exhausting myself in battle, the rapid use of Mana, or a combination of all three, but I find solace in the fact that this isn't my normal appetite. If I forgot about the more reasonably sized meal I had in the inn, I might have worried about my food expenses in the future, as having a dozen or so pounds of meat per meal would get costly. If that was the case, starvation would kill me before any monster does.

Wiping my mouth of the amber blood with the back of my hand, I wipe off the liquid on the grass as I inspect the last few objects of interest. Other than the copper coins scattered about the bottom of the chest, the last remaining objects residing in the Dungeon chest are a handful of Monster Cores. Five of the marble-like cores sit in the chest, four of which being Minor Monster Cores similar to the ones I already have. The last one though, is about twice the size of any of the others, and using [Runic Vision]’s analysis feature reveals that it is, indeed, different.

(Lesser Monster Core)

Presumably, this one came from the Alpha, as it was the only one in the second Tier, which is the only reason I can think for any of the monsters dropping something different. “Lesser” doesn't sound that much better than “Minor,” but I don't really know the difference other than the Lesser Monster Core being bigger. On that topic though, why is all the stuff I am getting from the chest related to the Moss Wolves at all? I mean, they didn't disappear into motes of light like the Arboros, or even the Moss Wolves in the room with the Pixie, so I figured they were part of the pack of those Sunlight Moss Wolves that I killed outside the abandoned cabin. When I used [Eyes Of Aspirations] on them, they even desired vengeance, most likely towards me, so why is the dungeon giving me loot from them in the first place?

As I stroke my chin in thought, I look around at the pristine forest once more. The lack of any signs that a battle took place here previously, the one with said Moss Wolves in particular, jumps out at me once again. I had at first only noticed it as another oddity that is just part of this world, but what if there was an actual reason for the disappearance of all those corpses. Maybe the dungeon absorbed the bodies while I wasn't here, and used the materials from them to create this chest? It's the only theory I can come up with on the spot, but it doesn't explain the coins or the much smaller amounts of meat and fur in comparison to what could've been found on the bodies themselves. It could be a tax or something the Dungeon took as part of creating the chest, or something similar in reasoning to that, but I doubt I'll get any answers any time soon, just like the rest of the weirdness pertaining to how Dharta operates.

With a shrug, I reach into the chest, retrieve the five monster cores as well as the copper coins scattered across the wood, add the ten coins to my collection, and put all of the spoils into my cloth pouch. As for the remaining bundle of leaf-wrapped meat, I quickly take it to the Safe Room to store, hoping that it won't be absorbed like the bodies it originated from, then return to the dimly lit forest once more. While there might be more loot to find in the forest, I instead head straight for the Luminvines illuminating a point on the opposite wall. Maybe I could look for another Arboro Hoarder, but I doubt the one I found was something typically found in this Dungeon, especially considering how the treasure it guarded was a pair of pants made from the fur of Moss Wolves, along with the generic monster cores and coins. Nothing in there other than the leaves wrapping the wolf meat related to the {Blackbirch Arboro Saplings} involved in the battle.

Wandering through the forest with a goal in mind, it only takes me about fifteen minutes or so to reach the other end, with only slight resistance met along the way. The two Arboros that attacked me were Level 10 like all the others found here, and they fell just as easily as the Hoarder did, but they didn't drop anything whatsoever. It's kind of a shame in all honesty. I accidently outgrew this Tier 1 Dungeon whilst in the middle of exploring it, so I probably won't find anything challenging further in, though I will still make sure to be careful just in case.

Regardless, I reach the other end, finding an opening in the cave’s wall outlined by the glowing green vines growing all around the place. I peek inside, only to see a narrow tunnel illuminated by said vines, with no ending in sight. I say narrow, but that is only because the pathway would comfortably fit any human of average proportions. For me, I have to either tilt my head downwards or crouch slightly to prevent my tiny curved horns from scraping against the stone above me as I stalk down the tunnel. Thankfully the tunnel is fairly wide, about five to six feet of horizontal space, but I definitely can't make any sweeping attacks with my tails, that's for sure. Still, the amount of space I do have is manageable enough, with the only troublesome monster out of those I've encountered so far that might be annoying to face in this enclosed space being a pixie. If I encounter one of those in here, I will be in a heap of trouble.

What actually greets me as I wander slowly down the tunnel is… nothing. Minutes pass without incident, and I walk in silence, my bare footsteps and the occasional scraping from my horns the only noise anywhere near me. After ten minutes of walking, I start to wish something would attack me already, as the silence is more unnerving than something actually being here. Ten minutes becomes fifteen, then twenty, then at last, I finally encounter something new after twenty-five minutes of cautious walking. The tunnel opens into a wider space, Luminvines covering the floor, walls, and ceiling, illuminating a stone door set in the cave wall in an eerie green glow. The door itself is completely smooth, marked only by a carving depicting a person standing straight up, arms outstretched, with a tree behind the figure. Walking up to the door, I lay a hand on the stone, tracing the outline of the figure, only to flinch back in surprise as a green System message appears in my vision.

[Is Your Party Of (1) Ready To Face The Boss Of This Dungeon?]