[ Warning: Residual anomaly detected nearby. Tracking source...]
[Unknown entity detected, distance 2.3km. ]
Limbo and Rin exchanged a quick look. "Rin", Limbo said in a low voice, gripping his spear tightly, "I think there's another one ahead."
Rin frozen, what? But I think it's far from us? We don't need worry for now. Rin takes a breath of relief. What should we do now then?, I think we should take a rest.
But, can we? Limbo replied while managing his breath.
Limbo was exhausted.
The battle against the corrupted beast has drained all the strength he had left. When Limbo tried to stand, his legs were trembling. Rin grabs his hand while supporting him with one arm.
He was panting, his breath was heavy, Corrupted mist around them was fading slowly now. But the air around was still unstable.
The place where the beast had fallen was sinking slightly, and the soil was turned black due to corruption.
Rin's condition wasn't as bad as Limbo but, but still, she was also not in condition to advance.
Rin knelt, catching her breath. "We were so close to the destination, right?"
Limbo nodded, "Around 2-3 km....or maybe less." He didn't mention the fragment. Not yet.
"So what next, Rin?
You can continue? Rin asked.
"I am!" While forcing to grin.
Rin sighed. "But I can't," She replied.
Rin grasped the situation instantly. "She knew he was pretending to be tough, but for what? She was confused. That question was lingering in her mind. Unanswered...
"Then what next?" He asked.
Rin's eyes hardened. "I think we should head back," Rin replied. "This is getting way too dangerous."
Limbo blinked. "What?" Limbo questioned. "But we have come this far?" Are you saying we should give up now? Will our efforts be wasted?
"We're not giving up," she said. "We are trying to survive."
Before he could say anything, a faint blue line popped up in front of him.
System Notice,
[Congratulations on clearing the obstacle. ]
[Rewards will be granted shortly. ]
Limbo, "Who cares about rewards if we're dead?" Limbo said, through his mind, to the system.
Limbo was filled with heavy pain. His veins were still glowing faintly throughout his body from mana overload. He had encountered many back-to-back incidents. First fragment and pain of the memories, then the corrupted beast attack.
Then the system gives another message,
[ Recovery protocol will activate soon... ]
He sighed. Huh, "Recovery sounds good. But, both of us have been drained and exhausted badly?"
System, he muttered, "don't you have anything that can help both of us?" Something that will boost recovery?
System?
[ Searching... It will take time.]
[ Please wait, system upgrade functions are loading. ]
Great, "we might die before you finish."
"If anyone attacks now, we will be in danger?"
System.
[User can recover by consuming the herb ]
He blinked, "Herbs?"
Rin looked up. "What?"
[ User has encountered many herbs, among them was a recovery-boosting herb. ]
Rin, on our way earlier, have you seen a recovery herb that can help us?
Rin's eyes widened slightly, l think, near the ridge.... But we must head back before dark?
"Then we can grab them on the way."
Okay then, let's go anyway soon sun will set, we need to be in a safe place. Rin until then, she drew a herb from the emergency kit, eat, this will ease you.
They returned to the place, and Rin found the cluster glowing in dim light. "Here," she said. Carefully plucking the leaves, let's see if this should work.
Rin was confused about the location, but the system was there to guide. Back at a place which they picked, Rin makes a simple soup with herbs and water. From the pouch she was carrying. The aroma was soothing. Limbo sat nearby. He was still holding a spear.
"Rin, can you draw powder from my bag and draw a circle?" Limbo asked, "Sure."
She did what Limbo said. Sketching the pattern on the soil, as his parents told him.
Until then, the soup was ready, and the forest was calm again. They were silent, and the warmth was spreading everywhere in their body.
When the star began to rise, Limbo lay resting back to the tree. "Do you think we should continue?"
Rin looked towards the firelight. "Or quit, back when we are ready?"
No one says a word.
Meanwhile...
Inside the invisible threads of mana
Surrounded by Limbo, his system flickered faintly.
[ Upgrade sequence: 43% complete. ]
[ Installing new adaptive module..]
[ Synchronisation with pure mana, pending. ]
The silence of wind carrying mana fills the night, like Earth's heartbeat. Forest was alive with many roaming, while some were resting.
Somewhere deep in the mist, on the corner of a shallow pond. The reflection old the star was twisted, as if something beneath the surface was stirred.
A faint whisper echoed through the mana flow, low, like mechanical
[ Fragment signature partially stabilizes
]
[ Host adaptation: under observation. ]
A shiver crossed through Rin in her sleep wind was cold today. Limbo's eyes Twitch between dream and consciousness. He saw flashes again, fragments of code, unknown runes, symbols flickering with golden lines.
He saw a tall, broken tower standing alone while mist surrounded it. He heard a voice. "One fragment found. **** Remains.
As he heard, he woke up in an instant while breathing heavily.
System display glitches again, the familiar blue with static.
[ Error: System interference detected. ]
[ Tracing source... Failed. ]
"Just a dream..." He muttered.
The faint glow on his veins flickered again and faded.
Rin's sleep break, "Nightmare again?" She is sleepy. Limbo said, "Something like that." With a faint smile on his face.
Soon silence filled everything, but not his mind. Something was wrong. The fragment that he absorbed wasn't fully gone.
It looked like watching.
He looked towards his hands, a faint white lines were still flickering. Inside that resonance pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat that doesn't belong to him.
The forest returns to calm.
But the system, whispered lines before fading...
[ Sequence complete: System Upgraded 100%. ]
[ New protocol installed. Adaptive Combat Analysis. ]
[ Passive Sync expanding range... ]
[ Unknown anomaly, still tracking. ]
The hum of mana deepened once more, calm yet alive, as if waiting for the next
Command.
"Will they continue or quit, and return?"