The Final Desperation

It was the 41st day, just four days before this session's finale. Genji chose to leave today because the beast kings had exhausted their stock and needed time to replenish it. Astros had consumed many of these mushrooms, demonstrating his mighty appetite and astonishing the beast kings.

According to their calculations, Astros had consumed several tons of food, yet his appearance remained unchanged. His stomach was somehow as flat as when he began, leaving everyone wondering where all the food had gone. Bruce also had a feast, gaining enough vitality to undergo a minor upgrade in strength. It was a bountiful harvest in every expected way.

Many of the gathered beast kings sending them off had reluctant expressions, as these few days had passed quicker than anticipated. If possible, they wanted to freeze time and bask in the joy forever. That was how much they enjoyed the gang's presence. Unfortunately, all good times had to end, and they bid their farewells with heart-wrenching roars as if they'd lost a precious treasure.

"Do you all have to be so dramatic? It's only a simple goodbye," Genji asked, shaking his head speechlessly.

Genji had another reason for leaving today. It had been a week and a half since he left the tribes to their devices, yet there hadn't been a major announcement. What had happened to their treasure hunt? Even if the journey took time, this delay was too long, especially with so many realm members eagerly helping them.

The only explanation was that something unexpected had occurred, halting their competition. To ensure everything was on track, Genji needed to check the situation himself, even if it meant joining a standoff for the treasure. After all, there was little the others could do if someone waited until the last day to snatch it. They would only need to escape successfully and hide to secure the win.

It was such an advantageous position that Genji coveted being that thief rather than the hunter with innumerable teammates. Ultimately, it boiled down to seizing the initiative rather than being reactive.

Two hours after Genji began tracking the tribes, he came upon a ginormous mountain range that stretched further than the eye could see and taller than the clouds. Not all the mountain height could be seen, but visible parts were mostly glaring white, indicating year-round snow.

The peak could not be seen as it was a blurry outline against the sun's bright backdrop. At the foot of the mountain, a valley separated the mountain range like a natural entrance beyond this insurmountable wall. Many tribe members were gathered at this entrance, seemingly guarding against unwanted intruders.

Interestingly enough, this giant formation was not on Bechel's map despite how well-traveled he was. Genji wondered how the elder missed such an obvious landmark, but didn't think too much about it. For now, his priority was to find the main group and understand the current situation.

Genji threw a few smoke bombs and dashed up the valley walls. Arrows whirred through the air at him, but the lack of visibility made it difficult to lock on. These guards weren't particularly capable, so they couldn't lock onto his aura in time. By the time they reacted, Genji had already disappeared from their detection range, leaving them with solemn expressions.

"We have an intruder. Inform the monoliths!" the guard leader ordered the group. The loosely assembled guard team debated intensely for some time before finally agreeing to send a person from each tribe. The leader sighed at this scene but quickly accepted this fact. If these tribes were actually competent, they wouldn't be stationed here, but in the exploration teams.

 

---

 

A few minutes later, Genji stopped and observed his surroundings. For the most part, the area consisted of vibrant plants that intertwined on top of each other to form a difficult-to-traverse road.

The croaking of crickets and other bugs could be heard beneath, giving way to unpalatable fears of hidden critters. One would never know if there was a deadly insect among this group, capable of killing with a single bite, as they would be long gone when they got the answer.

The trees were also caked with moss, hardly revealing their bark as undecipherable hisses sounded overhead. Accompanying these was the earthy smell of damp soil and the pungent stench of decaying matter. This place resembled an overgrown jungle, only more rugged from years of isolation.

Fortunately, Genji was not the pioneer and could take the paths paved by those before him. He conjured a thin layer of cutting intent around his skin to deter any unwanted pests and began hacking his way through the semi-cleared trail. He occasionally swept his saber above him as he walked, killing any vipers that overestimated their strengths.

The rain of blood and flesh attracted some dangerous-looking ants that promptly devoured these remains. Within seconds, the bodies of these giant snakes had disappeared without a trace. Not even bones or scales were left behind in this frenzy.

It was sights like these that made Genji wary of this place. After all, he could only imagine what dangers lay deeper if the periphery was this vicious.

'Also, why are these animals so feral? It's almost like they're not as intelligent as their outside counterparts.'

After a few more minutes, Genji came upon an open area containing an eye-catching mushroom. The head was bright red with purple polka dots, an opaque body, and black gills. Everything about the fungus screamed poisonous, but it emitted a sweet scent that excited the blood.

Anyone who knew a bit about evolutionary biology would understand this mushroom was imitating a poisonous species but was, in reality, a medicinal treasure.

However, this scene triggered alarm bells in Genji, as the mushroom seemed too pristine. There were no blemishes or damaged bits on the fungus, despite being in such a pest-infested environment. Plus, the area was too tidy as well, like it hadn't been disturbed by anything else.

But how could that be possible, given how obvious this clearing was? It didn't add up.

Genji tried using Insight, but it only returned as an unknown mushroom with adrenaline-boosting properties. The explorer skill granted by EverRealm was becoming less effective with each world and further reinforced the notion that one shouldn't rely too heavily on it.

Out of caution, Genji threw a rock that bounced off the mushroom cap. Nothing happened. Genji creased his brows and wondered if he was too paranoid. Deciding to trust his instincts, Genji took out a throwing knife, infused some cutting intent, and decisively chucked it.

This time, however, elicited a reaction from the scene. The tiny mushroom erupted from the ground, revealing a thick, ominous red body that lashed out with deadly tendrils. In the blink of an eye, the uncommon knife was shredded into pieces and flung aside before the "mushroom" slowly retreated back underground.

During this process, Genji saw some decaying bodies between the cracks of the ground, testifying to the trap's horrifying nature. A few of these bodies had scarlet cards beside them, indicating this mushroom had downed its fair share of realm members.

'The colors might scare off a lot of prey, but it compensates for that by hunting anyone who thinks they've seen through its disguise. How dangerous. I'm afraid even a beast king would be injured if they're caught off guard,' Genji remarked.

Genji understood the danger would only worsen from here and backtracked. Once he reached the valley's entrance, he smoke-bombed the guards again and exited.

Reaching a safe distance, Genji placed Astros down and said, "Sorry, but I'll need you to stay away a little longer. I'm not sure if I can take care of you in there, so do me a favor and go back to the beast kings, okay? I'll meet you there once I'm done."

Astros puffed his cheeks at Genji but still nodded understandingly. They'd been doing this for a month now, and Astros had gotten used to Genji's considerations. Genji smiled and rubbed Astros's head, "Thanks, little guy. Let's spend some time together after all of this is over."

Astros's eyes lit up and he yipped at Genji, conveying something along the lines of holding Genji to his words.

"Don't worry, I always keep my promises."

 

---

 

Genji retraced his steps and continued exploring. As he headed deeper, the tangled shrubbery only got more complicated and resilient, requiring greater effort to break through. The hidden dangers also scaled with this distance, demanding unprecedented caution from the intruders.

Genji found many inconspicuous body parts along his way, representing the heavy casualties suffered in this expedition. He also encountered several destroyed areas where people had battled against the wildlife. One such area was completely devastated, which Genji attributed to the awakened warriors leading the charge.

Yet, no matter how fierce the battle was or the destruction it caused, there were never any bodies left behind. The commotion caused by these fights often attracted scavengers who immediately cleaned up the area afterward. It was kind of unnerving how clean the aftermath was, as if the jungle had devoured everyone entering its depths.

Blood stains were as common as air, but complete remains were like needles in a haystack—hard to find and practically nonexistent.

At some point, the previously trodden path faded into obscurity, hardly distinguishable from the surroundings. And with it went all signs of travelers before him. Now, Genji was truly on his own and had to pave his way forward without prior help.

Hacking through the thick vines, Genji emerged near a river and spotted a team of four resting nearby. Judging by the grassy smell in the air, Genji surmised they must have arrived mere minutes before him.

The team looked weary and exhausted from days of jungle traversal, with two of them sporting heavy eye bags that would put pandas to shame. It was evident they hadn't slept much, which made sense given how disruptive the wildlife was. There was no guarantee they would get any rest even if they slept in shifts since nocturnal hunters were typically more troublesome than their normal counterparts.

The team had lost multiple members in the dead of night and were nearing the limits of their fortitude. Their exhaustion was so deep that only one person glanced at Genji while the others preferred getting another moment of rest. This was one of the few times they could comfortably do so, and nothing short of danger would distract them from it.

Genji sat a distance from them and began replenishing his energy. As he ate, one of the panda look-alikes drank from his flask and abruptly collapsed in convulsions. Alarmed, the other three shot up and rushed to their teammate's side.

But regardless of their actions, the convulsing man didn't stop. Blood leaked from the corners of his mouth and hoarse gasps sounded, but no other sounds were made despite his prominent pain. After flopping around for a few more seconds, the man dropped dead without understanding the cause.

"What happened?" the others asked, similarly unaware.

Genji approached at this moment and examined the scene. Nothing seemed off except for the strange water that refused to seep into the ground. To verify his conjecture, Genji poured some cooking oil over it and watched the two merge together. Something was definitely wrong here, as water and oil shouldn't mix like this.

After the two were fully emulsified, yellow critters appeared densely throughout and swam around at immense speeds. Upon contact with the ground, these minuscule creatures would bite away at the soil, draining whatever nutrients it contained. At this moment, Genji noticed the area was quieter than usual, indicating another danger zone.

"Did he drink from the river?" Genji asked, noticing the similarity between the two 'waters.'

The three of them paled at his question and scrambled to dispose of their water flasks. They couldn't risk reusing them since one mistake could mean being devoured from the inside out.

After this event, the team lost more supplies, which diminished their morale further. Being natives, they couldn't easily replenish these losses. If they continued at this pace, it was highly likely they would all perish in due time.

'They're not used to maintaining their vigilance for this long and are about to snap,' Genji analyzed. 'Let's get out of here before they cause me unnecessary problems.'

Genji's choice proved to be correct, as minutes after his departure, he heard a splash from this direction, followed by a painful scream. Then everything got cut off as the vocal cords disintegrated from within. Genji doubted it was a suicide since the victim sounded pretty surprised by his new situation.

Like this, Genji passed his first night. He had a relatively easy time since his stealth rendered him undetectable by all creatures. There was even a snake that slithered over him, thinking he was an inanimate object. Let's just say Genji didn't take kindly to that, and Bruce obtained breakfast for the morning.

The smell of blood attracted some busybodies, but they quickly stopped once they realized that everything that approached vanished like entering a black hole. Even the bloody scent fluctuated wildly as old scents faded rapidly and new ones replaced them. Genji and Bruce were a deadly combination in the dark, ranking even among the apex ambushers in this jungle.

 

---

 

The following day, Genji changed his method of travel, opting for vine swinging instead of forging a new path. Not only was it more efficient, but it also helped avoid possible danger zones.

The spiders and monkeys reacted negatively to his intrusion, but they were much easier to deal with than any of the hidden ambushers below. Bruce got plenty of target practice during this time, occasionally supported by Genji's flintlock in rare cases when he missed.

A few hours in, as the sun approached its peak, Genji heard a massive explosion in the distance. Following that, a burst of color flooded the skies, as if someone had detonated several tons of fireworks in the night. The scene couldn't have been more obvious, as if the culprit wanted to attract everyone in the vicinity.

Genji debated whether to ignore this obvious lure or to investigate the situation. After some thought, he chose to follow the chaos and see what ensued. From what he could tell, it would take him another day to reach the main team, so checking out the commotion wouldn't delay him much. With his mind made up, Genji began swinging from branch to branch like a monkey.

Once he reached the source, he swung behind a thick tree and observed the situation from the corner of his eye. A hectic battle royale was taking place, consisting of realm members and natives alike. Powerful attacks were thrown without regard, creating clusters of destruction. Rugged wood chips and mud flew everywhere, mimicking a desert dust storm.

And at the center of it all was a realm member, clutching a root resembling a sea urchin. He was the main target of the attack, with everyone trying to claim the item for themselves. Genji examined the item's details and understood why everyone was so crazy about it.

[Blessed Root Gin]

Rating: Epic

Effect: Upon consumption, increase your potential by a small amount (5%).

Note: This item cannot be placed in the storage space within 4 hours of harvesting. Remaining time: 3 hours 21 minutes.

Note 2: The process to change one's innate qualities is an excruciating one. Please find a secluded location before consuming.

 

What is potential? In the broadest sense, it is an estimate of the greatest height one can achieve before their demise. In a more specific sense, it is how well one can exert their capabilities under certain circumstances. Those with higher potential will always burst out with stronger fighting strength when on the verge of death. That is potential.

There are many factors that influence potential, but few of them can be actively controlled. So one can imagine the frenzy these people felt upon encountering such a treasure.

The natives desired this item because it offered an opportunity for further breakthroughs. If given to the right person, it could lay the groundwork for the Awakened realm. Although they didn't know the method for awakening, it gave them hope of achieving similar powers by forcibly elevating themselves to that level.

The realm members, on the other hand, coveted the increase in combat power that the root could provide. For a group that frequently risks their lives, such a boost could mean the difference between life and death.

Genji would be lying if he said he wasn't tempted. But before joining the fray, he needed to figure out what the signal was about, lest he end up in an undesirable trap.

As Genji waited, more participants trickled into the area. Many of them stood on the sidelines like Genji, monitoring the situation, while a few reckless ones joined the fray and added to the chaos. It didn't take long before the entire area was surrounded, but the flames of battle burned brighter than ever. There were even signs of it intensifying, as the wildlife engaged the ongoing spectators.

All of a sudden, the root shot a ray of light into the sky, producing an explosion similar to the signal that initially attracted everyone. The uproar was weaker than before, but that was expected since it took a lot of energy to produce such an explosion. Genji understood these were the plant's defensive measures and eased his caution on a potential trap.

With that concern out of mind, Genji's thoughts drifted to another bizarre aspect of the situation: why was the plant doing this? Logically, all living beings should strive for survival, but this plant's actions were completely counterproductive.

Due to Genji's encounters in this world, his paranoia was on full throttle today, and he refused to dismiss any incomprehensible details, especially when they had saved his life multiple times already.

Assuming everything has a logical explanation, Genji could only think of one reason why the plant was acting like this: it wanted everyone to focus on it. But why? Because this whole situation is a distraction. Because the plant everyone's fighting over is a decoy.

While this bait held everyone's focus, the main body would make its getaway like a lizard shedding its tail. That was why it caused such a commotion. It was also the only explanation that aligned with life's survival instincts.

'Only one way to confirm it,' Genji thought, eyeing the battlefield like a hawk. The moment an opening appeared, Genji kicked off the branch, snapping it, and appeared in front of the current holder of the root.

A streak of light shattered all defensive measures and snipped off one of the many protruding whiskers. An energy string, comparable to a finishing line, wrapped around the severed piece and, with a hard yank, fell into Genji's grasp. Subsequently, a quantum barrier manifested around Genji, warding off all attacks as he launched into the distance.

This action alarmed all the combatants, but they quickly relaxed when they realized the plant was still being contested. However, a few quick-witted individuals picked up on the discrepancy and followed Genji. To their dismay, Genji easily threw them off with his speed and stealth, forcing them to return to the ongoing battle.

Stopping at a distance, Genji sacrificed his newly obtained plant tendril to his compass and began tracking the main body. He spent the next few hours like this, gradually approaching the source. It wasn't difficult because no matter how clever the root was, it was ultimately a plant and couldn't move faster than an animal.

The compass turned as he swung over a sparsely filled area, prompting him to drop down. An energy-charged fist smashed the ground open, blowing a root resembling a magnified nerve cell from its cover.

A surprised screech sounded from its tendrils as it soared through the air, but it wasn't going to resign to its fate so easily. A lateral root detached from its body and shot forward to delay Genji while its main body catapulted away. The detached part gathered its energy and fired a beam of light, seeking to replicate its previous acts.

Genji's skin hardened to endure the explosion and he charged through without slowing. A crystal chain wrapped around the detached part, pulling it behind him as he chased the main body.

Another limb detached as he approached, but Genji was prepared this time. Before the root could accelerate away, a mental impact crashed into it, halting it in place. The explosion still fired, but Genji managed to chain down the main body. Sensing the impending danger, the root's whole body began concentrating its energy in a last-ditch effort.

'I need to find a way to stop this or it'll get annoying,' Genji thought, slamming the plant into the ground.

This harsh impact scattered the energy, giving Genji time to catch the other detached part. As the root made another attempt, a decisive glint flashed through Genji's eyes.

'Since you want to do it this way, don't blame me for what comes next. I'd rather lose some medicinal potency than deal with your shenanigans.'

Genji yanked the chain and delivered a heavy kick. As the root recoiled into the air, Genji wound back his dagger, and said, "Catch everything for me."

Then he released a crescent wave, mincing everything. Following his instructions, a wave of blood poured from his waist, forming a net beneath the diced vegetable. Subsequently, the edges curled up, sealing the remains and preventing a single drop from spilling. Genji brought out a wooden barrel, collected the mixture, and added the two auxiliary parts.

Afterward, he sealed the barrel and escaped the vicinity.

[You have obtained: Blessed Root Ginkurava (Main Body)]

[Blessed Root Ginkurava (Main Body)]

Rating: Legendary

Effect: Upon consumption, increase your potential by a moderate amount (46%).

Note: Due to your rough treatment of the plant, its medicinal properties will continue to diminish over time.

Note 2: There are 3 hours and 56 minutes left before the storage restriction is lifted.