With this two-pronged approach, the medicine was surprisingly effective.
Mr. Hunter drank the medicine, and his stomach soon began to growl.
"Excuse me, Mr. Allen, I have to excuse myself for a moment."
Mr. Hunter, supported by his wife, rushed to the restroom...
Ten minutes later.
The couple returned.
Mr. Hunter's expression had changed dramatically.
His face had regained its color, and a smile shone between his brows.
The couple thanked Allen profusely.
They praised him for being Ms. Sora's prized disciple, for his miraculous healing skills and effective cure.
Alan feigned embarrassment.
"Uncle and aunt, the basilisk's venom... isn't completely eliminated yet."
The smiles of the three Robin family members froze upon hearing this.
"Uncle's health is fine for now."
"But to completely remove the toxins from his body..."
"We must find a way to hunt down the basilisk, extract its flesh and blood, and combine it with my potion. Only then can we completely detoxify."
The Robin family all agreed with Allen's words.
The person who tied the bell must untie it. This sounds reasonable.
However, it wasn't true.
In fact, Allen had just used the Gluttony system to secretly check Mr. Hunter's condition.
No toxin reaction was detected.
This indicated that he had fully recovered after taking the medicine.
The idea that the basilisk's flesh and blood were needed to combine with the medicine...
was just a lie Allen had made up.
He said this because he was desperate to hunt down the basilisk and obtain the Level 3 toxin and special ingredients from it.
However, he wasn't sure he could take down the basilisk on his own.
At times like these, having an experienced hunter and guide nearby would have made things much easier.
That's why he'd concocted this story, trying to get Mr. Hunter to help him hunt the basilisk, and then not keep the kill all to himself.
In fact, Mr. Hunter's character was universally praised.
He was also a longtime friend of Alan's father.
Plus, he had just helped Mr. Hunter detoxify, earning the gratitude of his entire family.
Theoretically, Mr. Hunter would have agreed to help hunt the basilisk without any scheming.
But...
Perhaps it was because he'd played the ogre so many times in his atavistic meditations that his personality had been subtly affected.
He couldn't help but speculate on people's hearts from the most sinister perspective.
People's hearts are hidden, so be on guard.
In any case, Alan's chosen strategy was the safest, and it wouldn't cause any substantial harm to the Hunter family.
That was enough.
Mr. Hunter stretched his arms and legs.
He felt that his strength had recovered by 60%.
Two more days of rest and preparation would be enough, and it wouldn't be a problem!
So he said to Alan readily:
"The day after tomorrow is Sunday. If your parents don't object, I'll take you and Robin into the mountains."
"Let's see if there's a chance to get revenge on that damned snake!"
In fact, even if Alan hadn't brought it up, Mr. Hunter had been fuming for days, constantly contemplating revenge on the basilisk.
"Dad! You're not fully recovered yet. Don't go up the mountain the day after tomorrow. I can be Alan's guide and help him deal with the basilisk."
Robin couldn't help but interject.
Besides caring about his dad, he also wanted to take this opportunity to show off his hunting skills in front of his friends.
If his dad was always around, disciplining him, how could he possibly show off his skills?
Robin's proposal was, of course, categorically rejected by his dad.
The boy looked pitifully at Alan.
He hoped his friend would speak up for him.
But all he got was a blank stare.
Of course, Alan wouldn't accept Robin's suggestion.
The brat was clueless and had no idea what was going on.
He really thought he was the hero of an adventure novel, didn't he?!
...
Sunday morning.
The occasional barking of dogs echoed from the snow-covered foothills. "Old Pete! We'll leave all three horses in your care. We'll be back before sunset!"
Mr. Hunter, dressed in hunting gear, said to the ranger.
"Very well, sir. May the spirits bless you with a safe hunt."
The ranger took the reins and led the horses away.
Alan also dismounted from the black horse Mr. Hunter had lent him. He rubbed his hands, gazed at the snow-covered pine forest, and exhaled a breath of pure white air.
From here, the mountain path became increasingly rugged and densely covered with vegetation, making it impassable for horses. The only way to cross the mountains was on foot.
In addition to him and Robin, Mr. Hunter brought a large pack of hounds and a well-trained falcon.
The falcon circled in the sky, searching for prey.
Robin wore leather armor and carried a short bow.
A dagger was tucked into his belt.
He also carried a backpack filled with camping gear.
The plan was to go and return the same day.
However, the mountain's weather was unpredictable, so it was necessary to prepare for camping outdoors.
Alan was also dressed as a hunter.
In return for the antidote, Mr. Hunter gave him a set of hunting equipment, including a crossbow, leather armor, and a camping backpack.
Alan had crafted three simple gas masks himself.
Inside the thick cotton and linen cloth, in addition to the antidote, he had also added activated charcoal he had prepared himself, specifically to protect against the basilisk's venomous gas.
A group of three, plus a falcon and a large pack of hounds.
Climbing the mountain through the snow.
As with ordinary mountains, the higher they go, the colder they get.
However, this mountain was quite special.
The higher you climb, the warmer it gets.
Above the mountainside, there's no snow.
Even in the depths of winter, the grass and trees remain lush and green.
This is because the volcanic crater at the top of the mountain has been releasing geothermal heat for thousands of years, forming a natural hot spring.
Steam billows from the hot spring stream.
Many medicinal herbs grow nearby.
Alan followed the stream's bank, upstream.
As he walked, he used the system to identify the flowers and plants along the roadside.
Whenever he found a medicinal herb or food ingredient, he picked it up to enrich his collection.
Food and medicine share a common origin, and most medicinal herbs are also food.
Unfortunately, all he saw along the way were ordinary herbs and food ingredients.
No exotic ingredients were found.
The two most valuable herbs were called "Immortal Flower" and "Snake Eye Fruit."
The Immortal Flower looked like a white rose.
Picking the petals and leaves, squeezing the juice, and applying it to wounds can accelerate healing.
It's said that the juice of the Immortal Flower can also harm undead creatures.
Unfortunately, there have been no reports of undead activity around Quint.
Alan couldn't verify the truth of this rumor at the moment.
Snake Eye Fruit, a fruit from a nightshade plant similar to nightshade.
The thumb-sized fruit has a skin that resembles snake scales.
When ripe, the skin cracks, revealing orange flesh that resembles the pupils of a reptile, hence the name.
Snake Eye Fruit, combined with herbs like the Concentration Flower, can be used to create a potion that quickly restores magic power.
Alan felt the need to collect more.
"Snake Eye Fruit, quite delicious!" Robin said cheerfully nearby.
"You can eat it, but not directly."
Mr. Hunter hurriedly warned the two teenagers.
"This fruit tastes sweet, but it's slightly toxic. Eating too much can cause stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting, and in severe cases, it can be life-threatening."
"You must soak it in concentrated salt water for a full hour, until the flesh turns from orange to white, to remove the toxin."
"You're right." Alan nodded with a smile.
If Mr. Hunter's method was used to remove the toxin, the medicinal properties of the snake-eye fruit would be destroyed.
It would become an ordinary wild fruit, useless to him.