A short while later, Genesis spoke again. [One hundred meters to the left Mistflower.]
"Understood." Rudra started moving in that direction.
"Hey, Rudra," Aarav called out, looking confused as Rudra navigated the forest with strange confidence. "Tell me something what should I do?"
Rudra paused. Right Aarav was with him.
"You collect Blueleaf Grass too," Rudra said, pointing to the patch he had just left. "Exactly one hundred stalks. After that, come to me."
"Alright," Aarav replied, getting to work.
Rudra reached the next area and stopped. A patch of delicate, pale purple flowers swayed in the breeze.
"Wow…" he murmured. "These flowers are beautiful."
[They're ordinary,] Genesis said dismissively. [You'll see far more beautiful ones in the future. But remember this: These flowers bloom only in the morning. They wither very quickly. If you don't harvest them in time, they become useless.]
[They aid in smooth mana flow, but overuse can cause dizziness,] Genesis added. [Take as many as possible.]
Rudra began picking them rapidly.
Genesis's voice suddenly exploded inside Rudra's head, loud enough to make his ears ring.
[Hey! Hey, you absolute fool! Stop right now!]
Rudra froze mid-reach, his hand hovering over a bright petal.
[You've already damaged six flowers!] Genesis roared. [You have no idea how to harvest these, yet you're just yanking them out of the dirt like common weeds without even asking me?]
Rudra's mental voice stammered back in confusion. 'Wait- what? You mean there's actually a specific method for picking flowers?'
[Oh, wow. Is there something fundamentally wrong with your brain?] Genesis replied, her tone shifting back to its usual biting sarcasm. [I told you a second ago that you need to "harvest" them. Don't you think if it were easy, I would have just said "pick them up"?]
'What about that grass Aarav and I were picking earlier?' Rudra asked defensively.
[That stuff?] Genesis sighed. [That wasn't sensitive. But these flowers? They are incredibly delicate. Some herbs lose their entire medicinal potency the moment they are touched incorrectly. It's that simple.]
Rudra immediately felt a wave of guilt. 'Okay, okay! I'm sorry! Just... please tell me how I'm supposed to harvest these things.'
[Listen carefully. Do NOT touch the petals. Grip the stem exactly three inches below the flower and cut it cleanly.]
Rudra followed the instructions meticulously, his movements becoming slow and deliberate. By then, Aarav had walked over to help. Just as Aarav reached out to grab a handful, Rudra barked out the instructions, explaining the specific harvest method he had "just figured out."
They worked quickly, but despite their care, they noticed a few of the discarded, improperly picked stems nearby began to curl and turn brown within minutes, their vibrant color vanishing as the medicinal energy bled away.
Rudra watched in horror as the vibrant petals turned a sickly, muddy brown in his palm. "STOP!" he shouted, making Aarav flinch. "Don't touch any more of them. They're useless now."
"Useless?" Aarav looked at the flower in his hand, confused. "It's just a plant, Rudra. It doesn't look that different."
"They have to be harvested while they're perfectly blooming and handled at the stem," Rudra explained, trying to sound like he knew what he was talking about. "If you touch the petals, the medicinal energy just... dies."
Aarav sighed, looking at the wasted flowers on the ground. "You're getting weirder by the minute, you know that? First shouting at nothing, now you're a master herbiest. Fine, what's next on your list?"
After a short pause, Genesis spoke again. [Stop staring at the dead weeds. We need to find old-growth trees. That is where Softmana Moss grows, though I doubt your friend can climb a tree without falling on his head.]
Ignoring the jab, Rudra relayed the message. "We need to find the oldest trees around here. We're looking for Softmana Moss."
They trekked deeper into the shade of the forest until Aarav stopped and pointed toward a massive, gnarled oak. "Look at that one. Are those... pink leaves growing on the bark?"
[That's it,] Genesis confirmed, her tone sounding slightly more focused. [Softmana Moss. It absorbs and releases mana naturally. It's the stabilizing agent you need.]
"That's the one," Rudra said. "It's the moss with the pinkish hue."
"On it," Aarav said. Without hesitation, he leaped toward the trunk, his movements agile and sure as he scaled the massive oak. He began carefully scraping the glowing moss into their bag. "This stuff feels warm," he called down. "Like it's actually breathing."
"Just get as much as you can!" Rudra called back.
By the time Aarav dropped back down to the forest floor, their harvest was looking substantial. They laid out their haul to take a quick tally:
200 Blueleaf Grass 350 Mistflowers 250 clumps of Softmana Moss
"We've got a lot," Aarav said, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Is this enough to satisfy your 'itch' to be out here?"
[Now go straight ahead,] Genesis guided, ignoring the small talk. [You can hear the rushing water, can't you? There is a waterfall nearby. That is where you will find the Clearwater Leaf.]
Rudra nodded toward the sound of a distant roar. "One more thing, Aarav. We need Clearwater Leaf. It only grows near the spray of a waterfall."
Aarav groaned but started walking toward the sound. "A waterfall? You really are trying to make me work today, aren't you?"
The Waterfall
The moment they reached the Waterfall, both boys froze in their tracks.
"Wow…" Aarav whispered, his breath hitching. "It's beautiful."
Water thundered down the jagged rocks, sending a constant spray of mist into the air that carried a bone-chilling breeze. It was a serene, breathtaking sight, but the beauty felt deceptive.
[Be careful,] Genesis warned sharply, her voice cutting through Rudra's awe. [There's a monster in that water.]
Rudra stiffened, his eyes darting toward the churning pool at the base of the falls.
[You stay here,] Genesis commanded. [Tell Aarav to collect ten Clearwater Leaves from the rock face above the water. He has the strength to move on those slick surfaces.]
Rudra hesitated, worry gnawing at his gut. 'Will he be alright? If it's a monster even you're warning me about...'
[Idiot,] Genesis snapped. [He's a Fighter Level 8. He's fast enough that the creature won't catch him as long as he doesn't linger. Stop wasting time and send him.]
Rudra took a deep breath and looked at Aarav. "Aarav," he said, his voice dropping into a low, serious tone. "I need you to do something for me."
Aarav didn't hesitate for a second. He turned away from the view and looked straight at Rudra. "Just tell me what to do."
Rudra pointed toward the damp, dark rocks right beside the crashing weight of the water. "I need those leaves growing on the ledge. But be careful... I have a bad feeling. There might be something living near them."
Aarav nodded, his expression turning grim. The sound of the crashing water was overwhelming now a deep, constant roar that drowned out everything else. The mist hung thick, clinging to his skin like a cold shroud.
Without another word, Aarav turned and began moving toward the ledge. Slowly.
Each step felt heavier than the last. The ground beneath his feet was treacherous, slick with moss and wet stone. Every sound seemed amplified: the crunch of gravel under his feet, the rush of the falls, even his own steady breathing.
His heart began to pound. It wasn't a wild, panicked beat, but something heavy and rhythmic, like a warning. An unseen pressure seemed to be weighing down on his chest.
'Calm down,' Aarav told himself, tightening his grip on his footing. 'You've faced worse. Just imagine Aunt Naina's angry face if you come back empty-handed.'
Somewhere back at the hospital, Naina sneezed. She rubbed her nose, looking around the quiet ward. "Oh my, someone must be remembering me?"
But at the waterfall, the feeling was far more sinister. The closer Aarav got to the leaves, the colder the air became. The mist thickened, blurring his vision and slicking his clothes. The waterfall loomed ahead was massive, relentless, and feeling very much alive.
Aarav paused for just a heartbeat. It wasn't fear that stopped him, but pure instinct. Every fiber of his being was screaming a warning.
'Move fast. Don't stay here.'
He bent his knees slightly, tension coiling through his muscles like a spring. Then, Aarav lunged forward.
In one swift motion, his hand shot out, grabbing the leaves from the wet rock face right above the crashing water. He didn't stop to count them. He didn't even look. The moment the leaves tore free, a single thought exploded in his mind.
'Run.'
He spun around and bolted away from the waterfall. His feet slammed against the ground, his lungs began to burn, and his heart hammered like a war drum. It felt as if something behind him had finally noticed he was there.
For the first time in his life, Aarav felt pure, empty fear. His breathing became frantic, and his heart felt like it would tear through his chest.
Then—
CHHHHHSSSS—
The water at the base of the falls exploded outward.
A massive snake emerged from the spray. Its body was thick and covered in scales that looked like jagged stone. Its yellow eyes were cold and lifeless. It looked hungry.
Its mouth opened wide—
HISSSSS—
Aarav didn't look back. He just ran.
His feet slipped over the wet rocks, and small stones cracked beneath his weight. His breath came in broken gasps. Behind him—thud—thud—thud—the heavy body of the serpent crushed the ground as it gave chase.
Aarav sprinted toward the tree-line where Rudra was waiting. The moment he crossed the boundary of the forest, the snake stopped. It seemed to refuse to move further inside the forest as something more dangerous is inside forest if go even further.
After one final, bone-chilling hiss, the creature slowly retreated back into the misty pool.
Aarav nearly collapsed. His legs trembled so violently he could hardly stand. When he realized the monster was truly gone, he stumbled back toward Rudra, clutching the leaves tight in his hand.
"Oh boy..." Aarav's voice shook as he leaned over, hands on his knees. "I was actually that close to dying. One slip on those rocks and I was snake food."
Rudra exhaled slowly, his own heart finally slowing down. "I told you to be careful, didn't I? I had a bad feeling about that water."
Aarav looked up at him, then suddenly burst out laughing it was a wild sound born from a mix of pure terror and total relief. "Yeah... yeah, I get it now! That was insane, Rudra. Truly insane." He stood up and placed a heavy hand on Rudra's shoulder, squeezing it tight. "Let's get out of here before that thing decides it likes the taste of forest air."
From behind the curtain of the waterfall, a faint, rhythmic hissing still echoed, a reminder that the mountain was watching them.
"Forget the snake for a second," Rudra said, catching his breath. "Tell me, how many leaves did you actually manage to grab in that chaos?"
Without saying a word, Aarav held out his hand. In his palm wasn't just a few scraps, but a thick, sturdy branch covered in vibrant green foliage.
Rudra counted them quickly, his eyes widening. "There's about a hundred leaves here..."
Genesis's voice echoed in his mind immediately, sounding unusually satisfied. [Impressive. With that amount of raw material, you can refine 100,000 Mana Recovery Liquids. It is more than enough for your initial needs.]
Rudra's mouth fell open. 'Seriously? From one branch?'
[Yes. I do not joke about being chemist. Now, let us move.]
"Wait- what's that?" Aarav suddenly exclaimed, pointing toward the base of a cluster of small, twisted trees nearby.
They both turned. A soft, rhythmic glow was pulsing from the earth, looking as if the ground itself was breathing in the twilight.
"Wow..." Rudra whispered, stepping closer.
[It is evening,] Genesis explained. [That is why the Glowroots have activated. They are rare, so harvest them with extreme care. Do not damage the main bulb.]
'How?' Rudra asked Curiously.
[First, use your fingers to gently move aside the soil around the base. Do not use a tool. Once the root is exposed, pull it slowly and lightly. Use no force; if you have done it correctly, it will detach naturally. Collect ten.]
"Aarav, help me with these," Rudra whispered, relaying the instructions. "But be gentle. No force, just a light pull."
As they harvested the Glowroots, a faint, warm light pulsed from each one, feeling like living mana hummed against their palms.
After a short while, Genesis spoke again, her tone turning sharp and serious. [That is enough. The sun is dipping too low. Return to the Orphanage immediately. Staying on this mountain after dark is not an experience you are equipped to survive.]
"Agreed," Rudra said quickly, checking the deepening orange of the sky. "If we don't move now, Aunty Naina is going to have our heads."
They turned to leave, but Rudra suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.