After this long conversation, silence gradually began to reclaim its place around the campsite.
Despite their many concerns about what might be lurking in this forest, Zerath, Kert, and Hinata eventually fell asleep, each on their own side around the fire.
At least…
Kert and Zerath truly slept.
Hinata, on the other hand, remained slightly awake for a large part of the night.
Her gaze constantly watched the dark depths of the forest while the flames slowly died out.
Something about this place gave her a strange feeling.
As if the forest itself was watching them.
The next day, at daybreak, the three immediately resumed their march.
They could not afford to remain still if they ever wanted to leave this place.
The sound of their footsteps echoed softly between the giant trees while a light morning mist still covered the ground.
Then suddenly—
Kert placed a hand on his stomach before letting out a dramatic sigh.
— Guys… I'm hungry again…
I feel like eating eggs today…
Zerath slowly turned his head toward him.
— Eggs?
And where exactly are we supposed to find that here?
But before Kert could even answer—
BOOOOM.
The ground suddenly began to tremble violently beneath their feet.
The trees shook intensely.
All three froze immediately before taking a defensive stance.
Kert stepped back, panicked.
— What the hell is that?!
A massive cracking sound suddenly echoed beneath the ground.
Then something burst out of the earth.
A gigantic creature.
It looked like a massive earthworm… but its appearance became more and more monstrous the closer one looked.
At the front of its body was a bald human face.
Closed eyes.
A distorted mouth.
Like a man fused with an underground creature.
The monster had to be over sixty meters long.
Then—
ROOOOOHHHHAAAAAA—!!
The creature's roar shook the entire forest.
Kert instantly went pale.
— What is that horror?!
Hinata's eyes widened slightly.
— A… mutant…?!
Without warning, the creature suddenly lunged toward Zerath at a terrifying speed.
— Shit!
Zerath immediately leapt to the side.
The monster's enormous body slammed violently into the ground where he had been just a second earlier.
BOOOOM.
Entire trees exploded from the impact.
The mere passage of the mutant was enough to crush everything around it.
Zerath rolled on the ground before lifting his head in shock.
— If that thing catches me… I'm dead!!
At the same moment, Hinata instantly covered her body in emerald mana.
A green aura briefly illuminated the forest.
Then it vanished.
BOOOOM.
A shockwave tore through the trees.
In a fraction of a second, Hinata had passed straight through the mutant's body.
The monster remained motionless for a few seconds.
Then its massive body was cleanly split in two before crashing heavily onto the ground with a monstrous noise.
Silence fell abruptly.
Kert was leaning against a tree, his face completely pale.
— I've…
I've never been this scared in my life…
Hinata calmly observed the mutant's body lying on the ground before giving a slight nod.
— It really was a mutant…
She stared for a few seconds at the creature's human face.
— Good thing it wasn't a high-level mutant…
Otherwise, the situation would have been very different.
The danger finally seemed to have passed.
The mutant's gigantic body now lay motionless on the ground, while a strange smell slowly began to spread around it.
Kert cautiously approached the creature before his stomach growled loudly.
He placed a hand on it, then looked at the giant worm thoughtfully.
— Hey…
Do you think we can eat it?
Zerath immediately turned toward him with an almost shocked expression.
— I really don't think so, no…
He pointed at the human head fused to the mutant's body.
— That thing literally has a human face.
That probably means that at some point in its evolution… it had a human ancestor, or something close to that.
He grimaced slightly.
— Eating it would basically mean consuming a creature made up of human genes.
Then he looked away in disgust.
— And honestly… it mostly just makes me want to throw up.
Kert looked at the mutant again for a few seconds before letting out a resigned sigh.
— Yeah… when you put it like that…
Then he calmly turned his head toward Hinata.
— You're not saying anything?
Hinata briefly looked at the mutant's body before replying:
— If you're hungry… I can try to find something else edible.
Zerath then placed his hands on his hips with a slight nervous smile.
— We should still avoid Kert and me becoming complete dead weight for you.
He sighed.
— You're already saving our lives… and now you still have to find us food.
Hinata gently shrugged.
— I don't mind helping you…
At least until you regain your powers.
Zerath looked at her for a few seconds before smiling slightly.
— Looks like you're finally starting to understand what a team is.
That's admirable.
Then his expression became more serious again.
— But I'd still rather avoid Kert and me being useless.
He slowly turned his head around.
The forest still felt just as oppressive.
— We need weapons.
Even wooden ones would be enough.
Kert frowned.
— Weapons?
— Yes.
At the very least to fish… or to fend off minor dangers.
Hinata immediately frowned.
— I hope when you say "minor dangers," you're not talking about mutants.
She glanced at the gigantic body on the ground.
— Because even a low-level mutant is still far more powerful than an ordinary human athlete.
Her gaze returned to Zerath and Kert.
— And right now… without the system… you're at best at the level of trained athletes, right?
Zerath replied with slight embarrassment:
— We're still a bit above that…
Let's say… slightly superhuman.
Hinata lowered her eyes toward the ground for a few seconds before smiling faintly.
— That's already not bad.
She then raised her head again.
— As long as it allows you to anticipate and counterattack, you'll be able to survive.
Suddenly, she bent her legs slightly before jumping to the top of a tree.
CRAAK.
Two huge branches snapped under the impact.
Hinata then landed on the ground before covering the ends of the wood with emerald mana.
Green energy gradually enveloped the branches.
Then their tips became as sharp as blades.
Without a word, she then threw the two weapons at the feet of Zerath and Kert.
— You're going to need these.
Zerath gave a slight smile before picking up the improvised spear Hinata had just thrown to him.
Kert did the same before letting out a dramatic sigh:
— Back to prehistory…
Then, unexpectedly, he almost smiled with nostalgia.
— It reminds me of when I was younger and we used to go camping.
He slightly raised his eyes toward the trees.
— No phones… no video games… nothing.
Just us and nature.
His smile widened a little.
— Honestly, it was literally like going back to prehistory, guys.
Zerath and Hinata let out slight smiles in turn.
Zerath adjusted his grip on his spear before asking:
— So you have some survival basics at least?
Kert immediately straightened his shoulders with almost ridiculous pride.
— You could say that.
He raised a finger like a teacher.
— I know how to make fire, recognize certain edible fruits…
Then he quickly looked around.
— Well obviously, this forest has absolutely nothing to do with those in the real world, so the fruits here are completely unknown to me…
He seemed to think for a few seconds before adding:
— We also did some fishing, actually.
But you know what was the most interesting part?
A suspicious smile appeared on his face.
— To take a dump, you had to dig a hole and then—
Zerath immediately placed a hand over his mouth.
— I think we've heard enough.
Kert protested behind his hand while Zerath continued:
— We got the general idea.
And honestly, we could have done without the rest.
He finally removed his hand.
Kert took a deep breath, annoyed.
— Tsk… and yet it was a very clever detail.
He crossed his arms seriously.
— Leaving shit out in the open can attract predators, you know?
Zerath immediately facepalmed.
— Please… spare us that.
Kert puffed out his chest proudly.
— Pff… you're way too fragile for nature, my dear Zerath.
Then he turned his head toward Hinata with a victorious smile.
— Hinata at least listens to me, right?
But Hinata no longer seemed truly attentive.
Her gaze was directed forward.
As if something had caught her attention.
A few seconds later, she suddenly spoke:
— Guys… I think I found a water source ahead.
Kert immediately frowned.
— Wait a second…
He pointed an accusing finger at her.
— Hinata, don't tell me you didn't listen to my camping story?
Hinata placed a thoughtful hand against her mouth.
— Uh…
She tilted her head slightly.
— You said you went camping… and that it was like prehistory, right?
Kert's face slowly fell apart.
— …And then?
Hinata gently shrugged with an embarrassed expression.
— Sorry…
I was a bit distracted.
She looked ahead.
— The wind coming from the river caught my attention.
Kert immediately blushed with frustration.
— Are you serious?!
He threw his arms in the air.
— I'm giving you incredibly valuable survival lessons and nobody listens to me?!
Hinata awkwardly placed a hand behind her head.
— Sorry, Kert…
Zerath sighed before calmly adding:
— You probably did the right thing not listening to him, Hinata.
He gave Kert a tired look.
— He was already talking crap.
Zerath then slowly lowered his eyes before adding:
— Literally.