Chapter Eight: Wolf Valley

According to the map provided by the Strange Tree Alliance, the Dark Veil Forest, outlined in a square shape, indeed confirmed Not-a-Sword-Immortal’s reasoning. Moreover, the forest’s map appeared to be a rather precise square. Using the area cleared by the corridor as the origin, two diagonal lines formed by the forest’s trees stretched outward. The Strange Tree Guardian stood at the midpoint of one diagonal, while the Chief Guardian was stationed near the end of that diagonal, quite close to the other half of the square map—territory belonging to the “Shepherd Boy.”

Upon receiving the news from the Forest Supply Post, Ash and Not-a-Sword-Immortal hastened forward without delay. Their teamwork had grown increasingly seamless, and with the assistance of a novice Peashooter, they easily swept aside the scattered Shadow-Eating Bugs encountered along the way. Before long, another towering tree appeared in the middle of the path.

“How unusual! It’s been ages since I’ve seen strangers. Are you here to clear out the bugs? For some reason, the Gardener has been rather negligent lately—actually forgetting to spray insecticide on schedule.”

The Chief Strange Tree Guardian appeared more mature than the regular guardians. Two long brows fashioned from leaves drooped at the edges of its wise eyes, swaying gently in the wind. Upon once again hearing mention of the “Gardener,” the two players would have been remiss not to sense something peculiar.

“May I ask, honorable Chief Guardian, who exactly is this Gardener you speak of?” Ash inquired, straightening his posture to make the green-leafed brooch affixed to his protective suit visible.

“Oh! What do I see here? The Strange Tree Alliance! Ah, you must have assisted that young fellow ahead.” The Chief Guardian’s eyes widened with delight at the sight of the verdant leaf, and though normally reluctant to introduce the Gardener, it made an exception. “The Gardener is the only human-derived entity in the entire manor, responsible for tending to all the animals and plants. Occasionally, it enters the Dark Veil Forest to clean up waste, heal wounds, and deal with infestations for us.”

[Notification: You have obtained identity information about the “Gardener.”]

Such a notification would not appear without reason. Not-a-Sword-Immortal nodded lightly to Ash, and both realized that the as-yet-unrevealed main quest might be connected to this Gardener.

“The Gardener built two cabins in the forest—one in the plant section, one in the animal section. If he stays overnight, he’s usually in one of them. Oddly enough, though, I haven’t seen him in quite some time.”

Seeing the Chief Guardian’s puzzled expression, Ash promptly asked about the location of the Gardener’s cabins. But the Chief Guardian immediately eyed Ash with suspicion. “You seem particularly interested in the Gardener. I hope it’s not out of malice.”

It seemed that crucial information would not be obtained so easily.

Sensing this, Ash wisely withdrew half a pace, while Not-a-Sword-Immortal stepped forward to inquire about Wolf Valley.

“Wolf Valley, you say…”

With the questioner changed, the Chief Guardian’s attitude softened somewhat. Apparently, it too resented the presence of Wolf Valley, so it spoke candidly. “Wolf Valley wasn’t always called that. It used to belong to another, but a rogue wolf from the animal section drove out the original owner and took over, thus the name. The Gardener once warned it that if it caused trouble in the plant section, it would be driven back. But the creature is always up to no good, sneaking out to steal the resources of nearby plants and animals whenever the Gardener’s away.”

“You want to take down that rogue wolf? That’s wonderful! I’ve wanted to be rid of it for ages, but the Gardener’s presence prevents me from acting directly.” The Chief Guardian’s delight gave way to contemplation. “However, you may not be strong enough. That wolf’s combat ability is nearly on par with my own. I must remain here to guard the Supply Post and cannot leave even for a moment. If you insist on this dangerous venture, you might consider joining forces with Wolf Valley’s former master.”

With that, the Chief Guardian extended two branches, gently tapping the brooches worn by Ash and Not-a-Sword-Immortal. “I’ve already told you where to find them. Should you succeed, I will have a reward for you.”

[Notification: You have accepted the side quest—“Wolf Menace.”]

...

Quest Name: [Wolf Menace]

Objective: Eliminate the rogue wolf in Wolf Valley

Reward: Contribution points, credit points, access to hidden items at the Forest Supply Post, main quest clues

Description: The usurping wolf has severely disrupted the surrounding ecosystem. Impressed by your resolve to deal with the threat, the Chief Guardian has entrusted you with this difficult task. Upon completion, you will receive a fitting reward.

[Notification: This quest is extremely challenging. Proceed with caution.]

...

“Oh, by the way! That fellow’s probably in dire straits these days—not only has he lost his territory, but he has to pay tribute daily. With the pestilence going around, I doubt he can even manage that anymore.” The Chief Guardian shook its head with a sigh. Suddenly, it twisted at the waist, pulled two tree-legs from the ground, and trotted over to a large tree at the roadside. After knocking lightly on the trunk, it revealed a hidden entrance to the Forest Supply Post.

The two players exchanged glances as they watched the Chief Guardian retrieve a luscious golden banana, then squat back down in its original tree pit.

“Ordinarily, you couldn’t buy this banana even if you had the money. But since you’re here to help, I must show my appreciation. Take this to that unfortunate fellow to help restore his strength; otherwise, he may not even be able to stand when the fight comes. Of course, this banana can only revive him somewhat. If you want him fully fed and ready to give his all, you can buy some [Sweet Tree Fruit] from me—I’ll even give you a discount.”

Ash accepted the golden banana, marked as a quest item, and declined the Chief Guardian’s offer, as there were still a few Sweet Tree Fruits left from the spoils of the insect nest. Afterward, the Chief Guardian shared its field of vision with the two players and watched as Ash and Not-a-Sword-Immortal set off on their quest to slay the wolf.

“Ah… If only this forest could know a little more peace. The Gardener, too—he’s been absent so long. If these two humans really can rid us of that wolf, perhaps I can ask them to help find out what’s become of the Gardener.”

...

With the map shared by the Chief Guardian, Ash discovered that their prospective ally was actually near Wolf Valley, and there were two routes to reach him: one was to ford the stream dividing the plant and animal sections, and the other was to continue through the woods and over the hills.

After some discussion, the duo decided against the shorter water route. The density of the Dark Veil here had surpassed a critical threshold, causing the stream to become corrosive. Ash, with his basic protective suit, had no fear, but Not-a-Sword-Immortal’s recently acquired beast-hide armor offered no such protection.

Taking the land route was somewhat longer, but along the way, they managed to slay more Shadow-Eating Bugs. All told, they had dispatched more than fifty. Every ten bugs cleared earned two hundred credits, and each enhanced larval bug was worth a hundred. Ash did not immediately purchase a cultivation cell, wanting to see what hidden items the Supply Post might offer; Not-a-Sword-Immortal had the same thought.

...

“We’ve arrived. This should be the place.”

Not-a-Sword-Immortal checked the map and confirmed they had reached their destination.

It was a withered forest at the foot of the mountains encircling Wolf Valley. Due to the rampant infestations, the outer trees had been stripped of all their bark. Ash and Not-a-Sword-Immortal entered warily, only to find a monkey locked in a bloody battle with an enhanced larval Shadow-Eating Bug.

The monkey was thin, but the stick in its hand danced with wild vigor. Yet, drained as it was, its attacks were lacking in power and speed, and it was repeatedly forced onto the defensive. Though it had slain many ordinary bugs before, it was now on the verge of defeat.

“Let’s go!”

At once, Ash and Not-a-Sword-Immortal rushed to assist. The Shadow-Eating Bugs, usually so fond of ganging up on the weak, now found themselves outnumbered. With the two players and the monkey working together, they quickly slew the foe and saved the monkey’s life.

Unfortunately, this time the enhanced bug dropped nothing, and after its rescue, the monkey suddenly released its stick and collapsed stiffly to the ground, eyes shut, motionless.

The sight startled both Ash and Not-a-Sword-Immortal. Had their hard-won ally perished just like that?

Not-a-Sword-Immortal hurried over to check, then breathed a sigh of relief. The monkey had simply fainted from exhaustion. Ash, half amused, produced the golden banana and waved it before the monkey’s nose. Catching the scent of food, the monkey’s eyelids twitched; in an instant, it sprang upright, gazing at the gleaming banana with hungry, pleading eyes, drooling uncontrollably.

“Eat. This, and these—they’re yours.”

Ash placed the golden banana and several bright red Sweet Tree Fruits on the ground, then stepped back to show he meant no harm.

Unable to resist the hunger gnawing at its belly, the monkey grabbed the banana with one hand and hugged the fruits with the other, devouring them with ravenous delight. Before long, the banana was gone and many fruits had been eaten. Yet, though the monkey’s eyes shone longingly at the remaining fruits, it stubbornly refused to finish them all.

Not-a-Sword-Immortal noticed its hesitation and chuckled, “Go ahead and eat. We’re here to help you take back your home. All we ask is that you join us in defeating the rogue wolf.”

The monkey stared in surprise for a long moment. Just as the two players began to wonder if it understood human speech, tears of gratitude welled in its eyes. It stuffed the last two fruits at once into its mouth, cheeks bulging with joy.