The True Ruler Of The Forest

"I'm Ariya, a new Alchemist," she said, her voice growing weaker as she spoke. It was clear that something had happened to her, something that had led her to this perilous forest.

Arsen knitted his brows in confusion, struggling to hear the words coming from the woman's mouth. But before he could ask her to repeat herself, he decided to introduce himself and explain why he was in this strange, dangerous in the first place.

"I'm Arc Blood," he said in a polite tone, introducing himself to the woman. "I'm here because Mayor Whitlock asked me to investigate this forest."

Arc took a closer look at the woman and noticed that her injury was still bleeding. Concern etched across his face, he knew they needed to take a break so she could rest and recover.

"Let's skip the conversation for now," he suggested. "It would be better if you rest in the meantime. As you can see, your injury is still bleeding and we need to take care of it."

Arc paused for a moment, his mind racing as he tried to think of a way to help the injured woman. Suddenly, he remembered an item in his bag that could come in handy: a special bread that could replenish his health power by 12% every five seconds.

But then he hesitated. Would this item work on an NPC like her? He wasn't sure, but he knew he had to try. Carefully, he took out the bread and orange juice from his bag and offered it to the woman.

"Here, try eating this," he said gently. "It may help you feel better."

The woman looked at him skeptically, but hunger soon overtook her doubts. She took a small bite of the bread and to Arc's relief, she immediately seemed to feel better. The color returned to her cheeks, and she looked at him with a grateful smile.

"Thank you," she said softly, her voice filled with genuine gratitude.

_

Several minutes passed, and Ariya finished eating the bread. As Arsen had hoped, the bread seemed to have a healing effect, as her wounds started to close up gradually.

But even as he watched the bread work its magic, Arsen couldn't help but wonder about its properties. The bread looked like any ordinary loaf, and he couldn't discern its healing properties just by looking at it.

Curiosity got the better of Arsen as he gazed at Ariya. She was an inhabitant of this world, and he figured that she might know something about the mysterious bread's healing properties.

"Ariya," he said, his voice laced with curiosity. "Since you're a resident of this world, do you have any idea how this bread works?"

Although he came back ten years after, there were a lot of details that are still a mystery to him.

"Oh, this bread," she said, gesturing to the loaf in question. "It contains magical herbs that have healing properties. And, it's imbued with a type of mana that enhances the effectiveness of the herbs. As an alchemist, this is something I'm quite familiar with."

Arsen was impressed. He had heard of the profession of alchemy before, but he didn't know much about it. He made a mental note to learn more about it when he had the chance.

"That's fascinating," he said, genuinely interested. "I've heard of alchemy before, but I don't know much about it. Can you tell me more about it?"

Ariya smiled, happy to share her knowledge. "Of course," she said, launching into an explanation of alchemy and its various applications in the world they found themselves in. Arsen listened intently, taking mental notes and asking questions as needed. He was grateful for the unexpected opportunity to learn something new.

"I'm glad that you share your knowledge with me."

She shook her once again. "No, I should be the one who is thanking you after all the things you have done to me."

Although he found the topic of alchemy interesting, Arsen knew that he needed to get back to the task at hand. He cleared his throat, shifting the conversation back to the present situation.

"Can you tell me why you came here alone?" he asked. "I'm sure you know that this forest is dangerous, especially for someone who can't fight."

Ariya's expression turned solemn as she explained. "I came here because I was trying to find a rare herb that only grows in this forest. I know the risks, but I had to take a chance. Unfortunately, I wasn't prepared for the corrupted animals that attacked me."

"You keep talking about the special herbs. However, you don't tell what exactly it is?"

At this juncture, Ariya has no reason to hide this information as well as what she has noticed in this strange forest. "Okay, I went to this forest to find the Starlight Blossom."

Starlight Blossom. is a rare and beautiful herb found only in the enchanted forests. Its flowers are pure white and shimmer with a faint glow, as if lit by starlight. The herb has a delicate and sweet scent that is said to soothe the soul. Also, Starlight Blossom is highly valued for its magical properties. It is used in spells and enchantments that enhance one's spiritual awareness and intuition. The herb is also known to have healing properties and is used in some medicinal potions to treat ailments of the mind and spirit, such as anxiety and depression.

By simply hearing her story, Arsen already how hard to get that herb. "And your purpose is?"

Ariya exhaled deeply, her eyes shining with determination. "As a fledgling alchemist, I yearn to create a groundbreaking invention using that precious herb to elevate my rank. Imagine the possibilities! With each rung I climb, my privileges expand, and I'll have access to the finest resources and equipment to further my craft."

In this world, authority and access to advanced establishments were highly coveted by alchemists. These privileges could only be obtained by raising their ranks, a goal that consumed many of them. The second cherished thing was their materials and equipment - the tools of their trade that allowed them to create and innovate. For these alchemists, the quest for power and resources was a never-ending journey that fueled their passion and ambition.

Arsen let out a deep sigh, his eyes filled with understanding. "I see now. But in the future, it might be wise to bring someone along with you to avoid finding yourself in a dangerous situation like that again," he advised.

"I don't think you quite understand, Mister Arc Blood," she said, her voice tinged with frustration. "As a new alchemist, my options for companions are limited, and their abilities are not enough to handle the dangers of this forest. It's better for me to come alone than to put others at risk," she explained.

"I see. I suppose you're not considering your own safety in this matter," Arsen replied coolly. He knew that the woman had her reasons for wanting to tackle the forest alone, but he also recognized that it was a risky move. "Regardless of your reasoning, that's your decision. I won't interfere," he added.

Now that the woman had calmed down, Arsen decided it was best to move on. "If you're feeling better now, I think it's a good time for us to leave," he suggested, hoping to put the issue behind them.

As they stepped out of the cave, Arsen brushed the dust off his backside with a pat.

The alchemist shook her head, not because she still wanted to retrieve the herb, but because she sensed that there was something strange happening in the forest. "I don't think we can leave this forest so easily," she said, a hint of concern in her voice.

"Why?" Arsen asked in a serious tone.

"I've been in this forest for a week now, and for the last three days, I've been searching for the Starlight Blossom. But it seems to be as rare as a phoenix feather," she said with a hint of frustration. "That's why I decided to leave the forest on my fourth day here."

She paused, scanning the forest with a wary eye. "I'm well aware of the strange events happening here, and the adventurers who have gone missing after entering this forest," she added gravely.

Without warning, she pulled out a scroll from her bag. "This is the map I've been using, and I've marked all the places I've been," she said, holding it out for Arsen to see. "But it seems like this forest is constantly changing," she added, her voice filled with concern.

Arsen's eyes widened in surprise upon hearing the woman's words. It seemed that her experience was similar to what he had encountered earlier. "Do you have any idea what's going on here?"

Ariya smoothly kneaded her chin. "If my assumption is right, there is a creature here who put a curse on this forest." She responded nonchalantly. "The Goblin sorcerer is now out of choices, and only one creature is driving in my mind right now."

"And who is it?"

"The Witch Spirit. The true ruler of Enchanted Grove forest."