1-Second Invincible Player in the Game

89. Purple Forest (1)

The Purple Forest was a stage for the eerie tales that occasionally drifted among adventurers.

Stories of strange experiences endured after losing one’s way in the magic realm were often exchanged in taverns.

Among them, the most notable was the phenomenon where leaves, once green, turned a murky purple.

And the sightings of fairies.

Grrrr—

Around a three-headed wolf, a fairy the size of a thumb flitted about, its butterfly wings fluttering on its back.

I spoke to the two.

“Stop it, Asley. Limberton, you too, lower your bow.”

Asley lowered his arm clad in metal gauntlets, and Limberton, putting his arrow back, asked me.

“W-what is that?”

“That is a fairy. You must have heard about them in class, right?”

“Oh. That!”

The fairy was neither foe nor ally; it was the steward of the Purple Forest.

They do not intervene when monsters and humans kill each other.

They govern only the ecosystem of the forest.

Yet there was one exception, and this was that moment.

“But it’s not something you see easily, so why…”

As Limberton expressed his confusion, he pointed at the three-headed wolf.

“Look at that belly.”

The sagging belly of the three-headed wolf, barely touching the ground, clearly revealed that it held life within.

The mother was exuding a murderous intent, not for attack, but for defense.

“Is she pregnant?”

“Indeed. The moment she feels threatened, the fairies will turn hostile.”

There were two things to be wary of when encountering fairies.

One was that you must never attempt to harm them, and the other was that you must not attack a pregnant creature.

If either of these rules was broken, the entire forest would turn unfriendly.

“Be careful not to offend them. You could easily lose your way. A sudden gust of wind might sweep you off, or a landslide could bury you.”

“A landslide? With trees so dense, is that even possible…?”

“Both the trees and the forest can move.”

They possessed the ability to manipulate the area of the Purple Forest.

From the depths of the earth to the heights of the sky.

They could turn the forest into a maze, making one wander in circles, and could summon not just storms, but even lightning to unleash divine wrath.

“Thanks to such powers, there’s a famous tale of humans who heard rumors of fairies and went to capture them, only to vanish without a trace. The legends say the fairies feasted on their corpses.”

“Ugh…”

As we revealed our lack of intent to attack, the fairy fixed its gaze on the three-headed wolf.

The wolf closed its mouth and retreated, wagging its tail like an innocent dog.

I pulled a small pouch from my backpack.

Inside were candies made from butter and honey, crafted by Selly.

Crack!

As I crushed the candy and approached the fairy, Limberton’s expression turned serious.

“What, what are you doing?”

“I’m thinking of giving this to her.”

“What? To those terrifying creatures?”

“Watch quietly.”

Candy crumbs lay upon my palm.

The fairy pressed her finger to her lips, curiosity flickering in her eyes.

Then she picked up a tiny crumb, sniffed it, and popped it into her mouth.

Crunch.

The soft sound of her chewing faded, and her eyes widened in surprise.

Then she whistled.

Whee!

Fairies began to swarm from nearby, drawn in by the scent.

Fortunately, it seemed they were pleased with the blend of butter and honey.

I beckoned Asley and Limberton closer, handing each of them a piece of candy.

“Follow my lead.”

Without hesitation, Asley crushed his candy, while Limberton, trembling, extended his palm as if reluctant.

In less than a minute, not a single crumb remained.

The fairies flitted around us joyfully, waving their hands before vanishing into the air.

“Whew… I thought I was going to mess up and die of fright.”

Limberton steadied his racing heart.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at his expression.

“Pretty cute for such fearsome little things, don’t you think?”

Asley nodded in agreement.

“Remarkable. I’ve never seen anything like that in the land I came from.”

Limberton’s face bore a look of disagreement, as if he couldn’t quite accept it.

“To me, they just look like little demons. Cute, sure. But why did you give them candy?”

“Well, if they like what they see, they might offer us some conveniences in return.”

“Conveniences?”

“If we settle here, the forest will surely bless us with a prime spot.”

Meeting the fairies from the start was a stroke of luck.

I had a feeling this fortune might come our way, so preparing the candy was a wise choice.

For in return, we would receive their blessings.

[The fairies have shown their favor.]

[The Blessing of the Purple Forest Provides Convenience.]

There shall be no insects where we rest ahead.

Wherever we go, we are granted the optimal humidity and temperature.

The composition of the forest is adjusted within reasonable bounds.

And the greatest advantage? The amount of aura and mana increases by 1.2 times until we step out of the woods.

“Is it a prime spot?”

“We are blessed by the forest. If we build a fortress, it will even provide camouflage with leaves.”

“…How do you know that? It’s not in the textbooks.”

“Of course not. This is advanced information even the current Pathfinders don’t know. So you all keep it to yourselves.”

Asley gaped in awe.

Limberton scratched his head and asked, “But don’t we need to know the candy-making method to make use of it?”

“Exactly.”

“Can you share it?”

I shook my head.

“No. Once I run out of money, I’ll patent it.”

Limberton looked at me as if he were fed up.

* * *

The place we decided to settle was midway up the mountain path.

At every narrow passage where a large rock stood, I carved a mark with my dagger.

Using this as a focal point, I placed a compass on blank paper and drew a map.

As we stepped into a suitable position, a three-headed wolf revealed itself before us.

“Limberton, do you see any fairies around?”

“None. I think we can take that one down.”

“It’s prey. Everyone, get ready.”

Asley raised his shield and stepped forward.

The wolf avoided a direct confrontation, twisting its body to attack from the side.

Yet, it could not rush in recklessly against Asley’s nimble steps.

Pop!

Whenever the wolf showed signs of lunging, Asley swiftly shifted his feet to change direction.

Each time, a shield stands in the way.

Limberton spoke with a voice tinged with surprise.

“Your movements have changed significantly…”

“I’ve learned proper technique, so it’s only natural.”

Where once there was a primitive stance, now there was a controlled projection, as if he had become a master of restraint.

At this level, he could likely subdue an opponent alone.

Asley glanced my way.

“Boss.”

Was it the blood boiling within him?

He seemed to seek the captain’s permission, unsure if he could act freely.

I nodded, and he thrust his shield into the ground.

Thud!

Asley stood firm, arms spread wide as if to ensnare, ready to catch.

The wolf, eager, lunged, snapping at Asley’s wrists with its gaping jaws.

Crunch!

It was the gauntlet that bore the brunt.

Perhaps infused with aura, it did not break through.

The wolf heads on either side clung tenaciously, refusing to release their grip on Asley’s arms.

Growl!

The center wolf aimed to sink its teeth into Asley’s neck.

With a surge of strength, Asley hurled the wolf into the air.

The creature, relying on its tenacity, continued to hang on.

Asley swung his arms down like splitting wood with an axe.

Boom!

The wolf, thrown to the ground, let out a pained howl.

Eee-eee!

At last, the jaws that had clamped onto his wrists loosened slightly.

In a flash, Asley mounted the wolf’s back, wrapping his arms around the necks of all three, tightening his grip.

I marveled at his judgment.

“You were well aware of the howling.”

In the moment of peril, the three-headed wolf would have been taught by the professor to summon its kin through howling.

Indeed, Asley’s capacity for learning is remarkable.

Yet, there was one fact overlooked.

“Ugh!”

The neck of the three-headed wolf is exceedingly flexible.

Even if one were to grasp its back, the heads on either side could simply turn and bite Asley’s face.

As the grip tightened, the heads began to rotate slowly.

“Ugh!”

Asley poured more strength into his arms, trying to halt the turning of the neck.

From the sweat beading on his forehead, it seemed quite a struggle.

“Limberton, you know where its heart lies, right?”

“Of course. I can clearly see the chest skin expanding and contracting over there.”

“Your eyes are sharp, indeed. Then shoot, but make sure Asley stays unharmed.”

Limberton drew forth a bow crafted from special metal.

It seemed he lacked the strength to pull it back fully, his form still somewhat unsteady.

Yet, it appeared sufficient for the task.

Thwack!

The arrow embedded deep into the wolf’s chest, visible only by its fletching.

Thus, the beast met its end.

“Ah, just one shot and I’m already feeling drained.”

I asked Limberton, who was shaking his hands free of tension.

“Didn’t you say that after three shots, you’d need to rest for about an hour?”

“Indeed. Though still clumsy, it’s a powerful draw I’m using.”

The force that enhances strength during aura manipulation—Gongryeok (강력).

In Asley’s case, when he blocked the wolf’s teeth, he must have employed the indestructible defense—Buhwae (불괴).

“Asley, and you too. It seems you’ve trained diligently. You’ve changed significantly since the third trial.”

The two of them smiled bashfully.

“Alright, then shall we assault the fortress?”

I pulled from my backpack one of the potions I had commissioned from Nille’s workshop.

It resembled a perfume bottle.

“Scent Duplication Elixir”

By mixing the target’s blood into the potion, one can recreate the essence of their scent.

I opened the perfume bottle and collected the blood dripping from my heart.

After sealing it, I shook it, and Limberton asked.

“What’s that for?”

“It will cloak our bodies in the scent of the wolf.”

“Oh. Because they have a keen sense of smell?”

“Exactly.”

This is the domain of the three-headed wolf.

There was no better way to disguise ourselves as neighbors here.

The surroundings were the territory of the one we had just slain, so the other wolves would dare not approach.

They only band together when an overwhelming foreign threat appears.

In normal times, they lived independently.

“Now, spread your arms.”

I sprayed the potion over the two of them and myself, the liquid hissing as it met our skin.

The next task was to establish a stronghold.

From my backpack, I pulled out a box the size of an apple crate, provided only one per supply.

This was a magical tool symbolizing the Pathfinder.

“Multi Fortress”

It creates a makeshift fortress using materials from the surroundings.

When the mana of the crystal runs out, it collapses.

The mana can be recharged.

I searched for a spot, five meters ahead, where dense trees encircled a clearing.

It wasn’t far at all.

“Hm. I wish the trees were a bit thicker.”

As I grumbled, the trees rustled and shifted.

Limberton’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Oh, the forest really is helping us?”

“It’s all thanks to the fairies keeping a watchful eye.”

I set the box on the ground and tapped the diamond-shaped crystal embedded in its top three times with my finger.

Creeeak—

Light spilled from the box, drawing in the surrounding trees.

A minute later, a two-story house crafted from wood emerged, resembling a one-touch tent.

The upper floor was a triangular roof, a space to serve as a watchtower.

Asley gasped in awe.

“How wondrous.”

“Indeed. Seeing it up close is certainly different from watching the professor’s demonstration.”

Their eyes sparkled with excitement.

It seemed the mobile fortress stirred their dreams of adventure.

After all, what man could resist the thrill of camping?

“Shall we unpack our gear first?”

The two of them dashed inside, brimming with enthusiasm.

I too began to unpack, leisurely pulling out a pamphlet.

Limberton and Asley rushed over, curiosity etched on their faces.

“Speaking of which, we haven’t even checked the pamphlet yet. Let me see.”

I unfolded the paper adorned with illustrations of monsters.

The three-headed wolf was rated C, scoring three points.

The horned leader boasted a B rating with a perfect score of one hundred.

And occasionally, their natural enemies appeared, marked with a question mark and classified as A grade.

A staggering score of two hundred points.

Limberton’s jaw dropped.

“Wow, it says two hundred points.”

“I have no intention of hunting that.”

As I firmly expressed my resolve, Limberton let out a sigh of relief.

“That’s a relief… I thought you were planning to go for a big score again. That would be dangerous.”

“…A big score, huh.”

It wasn’t an incorrect assumption.

Yet, I chose not to voice that truth.

“Let’s check the next page. I’m dying to know what resources we can gather.”

“Right.”

As I turned the page, a dense array of illustrations and detailed descriptions of various herbs and the stone of magic filled the space.

Limberton pointed at a flower illustration.

“The Peleden flower? Why does this one fetch a score of 500?”

“It’s a remedy for pneumonia. Renowned for its efficacy, it outperforms any other medicinal herb.”

“Oh, are you talking about that potion that costs 50,000 gold a vial?”

“Exactly.”

Though the medicine here had advanced significantly due to magic, it was not an era rich in resources like the modern age.

Thus, even a common pneumonia treatment was a luxury only the well-off could afford.

Let alone a remedy that could fully cure pneumonia; it was only natural that it would command a steep price.

“It’s no exaggeration to say that all rare herbs come from the Magic Realm. The Empire, recognizing this advantage, is investing heavily in Pathfinders.”

That marked the end of the detailed explanation about earning points.

I closed the pamphlet and pulled out a book I hadn’t finished reading yet.

Perhaps my demeanor seemed rather carefree, for Limberton narrowed his eyes.

“Are you allowed to lounge about like this?”

“Right now, just take a good rest.”

“No, rest? The others must be frantic to earn points; we should hurry and move too.”

“Hmph, frantic to earn points, you say? Do you really think they have the luxury for that?”

I tore my gaze from the book and glanced at Limberton.

“It seems you’re overlooking the fact that the journey to get here has been far too easy. You must realize you are enjoying a rare privilege.”

“Hmm? A privilege?”

“If you’re so curious, go up to the second floor and see for yourself. Don’t forget to take a telescope.”

Limberton climbed the ladder.

Soon, a loud thud echoed from the ceiling.

One second later.

Auuu───

A howl reverberated throughout the Purple Forest.