The perfect | TBATE X COTE

Chapter 17: Moonclaw

Thanks to jarrarbtc for being a beta reader for this chapter.

~2669 words

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As the sun reached its peak in the sky, the morning fog began to dissipate, its tendrils reluctantly releasing their hold on the land.

As I spoke, I ran my dagger through the bark of a tree, my words carried over the rustling of the leaves beneath our feet. "Why are we looking for this plant you're mentioning?" I inquired, scanning my surroundings while waiting for her response.

Ruri replied, "Secret," but when I looked at her blankly, she seemed pressed to elaborate. "It's a plant with unique properties known as 'Signal.' It only grows in areas where a specific mineral is abundant."

I nodded, recalling having read about the plant in one of my books. "I assume you do not simply desire the plant, but rather the mineral for which it serves as an indicator?" I inquired.

"Hm..." Ruri paused for a moment, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Yes, that is correct. It shall be a gift for someone special."

I nodded towards her, making our way through the trees as we searched for the plant.

The beast glades were an enigma that piqued my interest no matter how much I read about it. It was like the sea in the my last planet, a vast and unexplored expanse just waiting to be discovered. The dense foliage appeared impenetrable, like a verdant fortress protecting its secrets from the outside world. The very air seemed to hum with the promise of discovery, luring me forward with a seductive allure. That caught my attention, but I would never let my curiosity get the better of me, so I warned Ruri.

"Ruri, it's possible that a large predator is prowling this area," I said as I ran my dagger again across the bark of a tree, ripping off a small piece of its rough exterior.

She sent me a quick glance over her shoulder. "You may be right, but we are still close to the outskirts of the forest. It is unlikely that we will encounter any significant threat."

I sent her an appraising glance, my curiosity piqued by her sudden determination in finding what she was searching for. The mineral could have been rare, for all I knew it was as light as adamantite and as strong as titanium. Eldirium was its name, and it was commonly used to create magical artifacts due to its receptivity to mana. However, it was still unclear why Ruri was suddenly so determined to obtain it. She'd mentioned it was for someone, so maybe that's why she was so determined?

We go a little deeper, but despite having passed the designated safe zone, the mana beasts are noticeably absent. The only sound to break the silence was the rustling of the leaves against the trees.

I finally stopped Ruri by grabbing her wrist and pulling her to a halt. "Ruri," I said loudly. "It's time to get out of here. We've been walking for an hour and haven't seen any mana beasts. It's possible that a dangerous creature has made its way to the forest's outskirts in search of prey. You must notify the adventurer's guild of this."

Ruri sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly in disappointment. "Yes, you're right. I'm sorry for not recognizing the danger sooner. We must leave this location immediately." She turned on her heel and started walking back, her steps quick and purposeful.

Perhaps it was craven, but it was better to escape alive than to continue when both of our senses indicated an ill omen. But, as if fate had decided to keep us there, we both stopped on the way back.