The next morning.
As the sound of chirping insects and birds filled the air, Duke slowly woke from his bed. The moment he opened his eyes, he sensed a murderous intent directed at him. Yet, instead of reacting, he simply stretched lazily.
In what had been a perfectly assured hunt, the hunter had been turned into the prey—bound tightly like a rice dumpling and hung up on the wall like some kind of mosquito lamp.
Anyone in such a situation would be radiating killing intent, itching to tear the culprit into eight pieces.
If looks could kill, Duke would already have been riddled with holes.
But the last person who tried to pull one over on him? She was still wearing that black-and-white maid outfit.
And the one before that? Locked in a cage for several days as a cat.
As for the current one?
Being strung up as a mosquito lamp was already Duke showing mercy.
While he dressed at an unhurried pace, he glanced at the woman bound like a dumpling nearby and greeted her.
"Good morning, Zyra. How was your rest last night?"
"Human, I acknowledge your strength. But never underestimate the vitality and resilience of plants!"
"Sure, sure, you're the mosquito lamp—whatever you say is right."
Instead of putting on his coat, Duke stepped toward Zyra and infused her once again with his magic to reinforce his control over her.
Last night, the moment her vines touched his electromagnetic barrier, Edith had already issued a warning.
When Zyra tried to ensnare him, Duke used her own vines as a conduit to seed his magic deep into her body.
And just like that, Zyra fell into his hands.
If only he could capture one more "Stone Man," he could complete a new achievement—soloing all Ixtal champions.
Unfortunately, the Stone Man still slumbered beneath the mountains. Meeting him would not be easy.
And truth be told, Duke wasn't eager to meet him yet. If the Stone Man appeared to the world, it would mean the Void had already begun a full-scale invasion of Ixtal.
Better he kept sleeping, and everyone else minded their own business.
"Did you know plants can turn animal waste into nutrients?"
Duke raised an eyebrow at Zyra. Her expression shifted slightly.
"Human, are you trying to provoke me?"
"'Human, human'—so distant!"
He snapped his fingers. "Call me 'Boss.'"
"Also, I'm about to have breakfast. You can assist me."
As the vines binding her withdrew, Zyra's body returned to its original form—a captivating beauty wrapped in layers of petals and vines, her long, wildfire-red hair cascading like a waterfall.
Duke spared her only a glance before looking away. When Zyra's mind flickered with the thought of attacking him, the vine around her arm coiled around her neck.
"Don't even think about it. Get to work."
Duke pulled cooking supplies from his inventory and transferred part of his cooking knowledge into Zyra's mind.
"There—follow the steps I gave you. Breakfast is in your hands."
Wordlessly, Zyra emerged from the tent, clumsily handling the utensils. When the stove flared to life, the vines on her body bloomed, revealing a stamen like a nail gun.
But under Duke's teasing gaze, she could only comply.
Still, throughout the cooking process, she released faint, nearly undetectable pollen.
Duke munched on some toast he'd saved beforehand, watching her finish preparing the meal.
"Not bad."
He smiled sincerely—before adding,
"But next time, don't put in enough poisonous pollen to wipe out a whole village."
"What a waste of food. You can eat it yourself."
"I'll stick with my canned goods." He smirked.
Zyra glared between her spiked-up breakfast and Duke's mocking expression, then flipped the table in one motion.
"Human, you will pay for your arrogance!"
"Pride? Hey, someone's calling you."
He summoned Pride, who strode over while Duke packed the camp.
"Talk to her for a while," Duke said.
Zyra met Pride's gaze with unflinching golden eyes.
"Iron beast, what can you do?"
Pride exhaled a hiss of steam, placing one hand on her shoulder, revealing sharp fangs.
"You'll find out, woman."
Half an hour later, Duke studied a drone's reconnaissance map. Overnight, it had found more than thirty ruins scattered across the jungle—but only three met his criteria.
His goal today was to explore all three. If he found what he sought, he'd return. If not, he wouldn't force it.
Behind him stood Zyra in a maid outfit, her vines and petals now pruned into a softer, more graceful form by Pride's handiwork.
"How does it feel?"
Duke glanced at her with a grin.
"That outfit suits you."
"You may heap humiliation upon me, but the forest will reclaim it a hundredfold."
She fell silent afterward, closing her eyes as if resigned.
Duke merely shrugged. His magic was already deeply seeded in her body—he could hear her every thought.
The moment he withdrew it, she could unleash vines enough to engulf a town. But he wasn't giving her that chance.
Once his work here was done, she'd be sent to tend the lavender gardens of Bluecane Manor.
Keeping her in Ixtal was out of the question—her dream of turning every inch of land into a plant paradise clashed with his development plans.
In modern terms, she was an extreme environmentalist—passionate about reforestation, but dangerously radical.
Before long, the aircraft landed before a vine-choked ruin. But before Duke could step out, the ground shook.
A vine-scaled drake came charging at him. Duke took off immediately—he was here to treasure hunt, not grind gold on a drake.
"Let's just do a quick scan."
He turned to Zyra. "Check the ruins for any ancient potions."
Zyra released spores that drifted into the ruins, sprouting vines to probe every corner.
"Nothing."
"Don't be so gloomy. Smile for me."
Reluctantly, she forced a strained smile.
"Better."
They moved to the second location, flying for an hour. Another ruin—this one occupied by another drake.
"Why do they all like to sit on ruins?" Duke sighed.
Again, Zyra repeated the scan. Again, nothing.
"Last one. If nothing turns up, we're heading back."
The third ruin was little more than a vine-covered stone arch, likely part of a buried tomb.
"Check it."
With no real expectations, Duke waited as Zyra's spores slipped inside, sprouting vines that mapped the interior.
Only one-fifth in, Duke's brows rose—the tomb concealed an enormous underground labyrinth.
"This might be the one."
But he had no intention of going in himself. Ancient tombs were full of traps.
And luckily… he had the perfect tool for the job.
"Seems I'm in luck today," he told Zyra with a meaningful smile.
"Walk with flowers, but beware the thorns," she replied cryptically, stepping into the arch without a backward glance.
Duke folded his arms, watching the darkness beyond.
"Prey always has such fanciful dreams. How laughable."
🔹 Hexcore Initiate – 15 chapters ahead
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