Next Day – Morning, Woodland Leaf Woods
The light was softer here. Compared to the dense stone-gray hues of Stonebark Expanse, this part of the forest breathed green — in light, in air, in vitality. Leaves rustled like whispers of an ancient language. Birds chirped in sudden bursts. The smell was rich: moss, bark, and faint sweetness in the air.
Oliver blinked as his eyes adjusted. He had slept beneath a thick ivy canopy, body sore but intact. The rain from the night before left the world damp, glistening, fresh. His axe — still at his side — shimmered faintly with Vita residue. He rose, stretching, brushing off dew from his sleeves.
He stepped forward, deeper into the Woodland Leaf Woods, passing a few towering trees with twisting trunks. They were slightly different from Stonebark — these had soft bark with streaks of teal and gold, and when his hand brushed against them, the Systematic Guide pulsed with a new note:
> [Woodland Leaf Tree – Reactive Regrowth]
"Chop down, grow back. Used by ancient Travelers for unlimited renewable wood-based crafting."
Oliver tested it.
He raised the axe, took a clean strike at a medium-sized tree — thunk! — and within seconds of the tree crashing down, glowing green roots spiraled, and the entire tree regrew in a silent burst of leaf-light.
"…Right. That's new."
> [Achievement: Forest Bender – You Have Witnessed Regrowth Magic in Action]
Reward: +5 Mysticoins | +1 Logging Efficiency Passive Unlocked
Oliver gave a small smirk. "Guess I'll never run out of campfire fuel."
He gathered wood for later — the logs still warm from the tree's magical regrowth. While not ideal for combat, crafting, heating, and minor building were now fully possible. He checked his inventory.
🍎 Apples: 43
🔧 Stone Tools: Functional
🪵 Fresh Magic Logs: 16
🔋 Vita Level: Moderate
💤 Sleep Requirement: Fully Met
> [Systematic Forecast: Weather – Clear Skies | Wildlife Status – Passive | Danger Range – Low]
Perfect time to travel or set up a mini base.
He gazed deeper into the Woodland Leaf Woods, seeing several paths splitting — one toward a glowing river bend, another into dense thicket hills, and a third following a narrow root-path, possibly leading to a Traveler rest site or undiscovered point of interest.
Oliver tightened his grip on the axe. New forest. New rules. Infinite trees.
And somewhere deeper — he sensed it — something was watching. Not hostile. Just waiting.
He picked a direction.
Forward. Always forward.
.....
As Oliver moved past the dense brush and tall twisting trees, he noticed the hush of nature gently shift — a presence nearby. Just beyond a mossy slope, a figure stood quiet and composed: Fern Juniper.
She looked almost part of the forest herself.
Green hair with curled edges hung from beneath her hooded leaf-toned cloak, and her eyes — a calm, earthen green — scanned Oliver with the same patience the trees had. A satchel of herbs, berries, and dried roots dangled from her side, and her hands were faintly stained with plant oils and soil. She wasn't just in the woods — she was of the woods.
> [Systematic Guide: Field Encounter]
You have met a Forest-Class NPC: Fern Juniper – Druid and Regional Herbalist
Offer to form temporary Partnership Guide?
✅ Accept
❌ Decline
Oliver, without hesitation, clicked ✅ Accept.
There was a faint green chime in the air.
Fern looked up, stepped forward, and stopped within a few feet of him.
She didn't smile. She didn't need to.
Instead, in a calm, even voice, she said,
"You look like someone who's walked too long without listening."
Oliver blinked. "What?"
Fern turned and began walking, her boots barely making sound on the leaves.
She paused, not turning around.
"Come. If you want to understand the forest, follow me."
> [Guide Fern Juniper – Joined Your Party]
Perks Unlocked:
• 🪻 Plant-Based Crafting Recipes Unlocked
• 🌿 Medicinal Herb Identification
• 🌲 Forest Navigation (Intermediate Boost)
• 🍃 Tranquil Aura (Minor enemy detection dampening in wooded zones)
Warning: Fern is a Stoic Guide – expect minimal conversation, maximum efficiency.
As Oliver followed, he noticed birds didn't scatter when she passed. The wind seemed to bend around her. And for the first time in a while, he wasn't the only traveler against the green wild.
He muttered quietly, "This might actually be helpful."
Fern, still facing forward, replied flatly,
"I heard that."
The forest journey had just changed.
....
Fern moved swiftly but gracefully through the Woodland Leaf Woods, her green cloak swaying silently with each step. The moment she found a patch of blooming flora, she crouched beside it without a word.
Oliver followed behind, slightly puzzled but intrigued.
Fern pointed to a cluster of pale blue flowers with white tips.
"Moonpetals," she said. "Dwarves use them to brighten metal. Trades well."
She moved to another patch, collecting with careful precision:
Sunlace Blossoms – radiant gold flowers used in tonic brews.
Whistlefern – long, curly herbs that let out a faint hum when wind passes through them.
Dusklilies – soft violet flowers only found in shaded forest beds; favored in sleep potions.
> [Inventory Updated: Fern's Collected Flora]
• 3x Moonpetals
• 4x Sunlace Blossoms
• 2x Whistlefern
• 5x Dusklilies
Oliver knelt beside a strange pink flower with a spiral stem and asked, "What about this one?"
Fern glanced.
"Don't touch. It's called a Snapthorn Bloom. Pretty, but it bites."
Oliver retracted his hand immediately.
She stood, brushing her fingers against her satchel.
"We trade these with village dwarves. They pay in refined ore, stone powder, or specialized seeds."
Oliver nodded, then quietly asked, "Do they like apples?"
Fern finally glanced at him.
"Only if fermented."
> [Systematic Note]
• Flower-based trade available once you reach Dwarf Village: Bramblehearth.
• Fern will handle haggling. Do not interfere.
• Fern's flower bundle value: ~180 Mysticoins
As they walked, Oliver noticed Fern occasionally whispered to the plants. He wasn't sure if it was habit or magic — maybe both.
But he was sure of one thing:
Fern wasn't just collecting flowers. She was preparing for something.
.....
As the mimic chest's teeth snapped shut with a growl-like CRACK, Fern barely dodged the bite, her green cloak scraping against the forest floor. Oliver rushed in with his stone sword, slashing at the mimic's lid while Fern swiftly rolled away, clutching something tightly in her arms.
After a few sharp blows and a final stab to the mimic's core, it twitched—then deflated into a splatter of wooden goo and illusion dust.
Fern, catching her breath, opened her hands.
Oliver blinked. "...A cabbage?"
It was a deep green, unusually plump, wrapped in gleaming leafy folds that shimmered faintly under the woodland light.
"That's not just any cabbage," Fern said, her voice low. "It's a Suncrisp Verdantheart. Rare. Only grows from ancient soil. The dwarves consider it royal produce. Worth several topaz gems... and reputation."
Oliver raised an eyebrow. "Reputation cabbage?"
Before she could explain further—SNATCH!
A flash of brown fur burst from the bushes.
A Stonebark Boar, snorting wildly, charged through, snatched the cabbage in its tusks, and darted off squealing into the trees.
Fern froze mid-sentence, eyes wide.
Oliver just stared. "You've got to be kidding."
Fern stood up slowly, fists clenched.
"...We're getting that cabbage back."
> [Side Quest Unlocked: "Royal Cabbage Retrieval"]
• Objective: Track the cabbage-snatching Stonebark Boar.
• Reward: Dwarven Trust + Topaz Gem(s)
• Notes: Fern is extremely serious about this.
...