Chapter 25: Extreme Thoughts
Their adventure reached its thirtieth day.
Kraft's familiarity with the route accelerated their journey, bringing them to the Gemir Forest in half the usual month-long travel time.
"This rapid growth magic truly astounds me; besides the Druid race, I've never seen any other race use it."
Kraft watched as Kurtz pulled a handful of seeds from his bag, scattered them on the ground, then cast a spell that made them sprout and grow quickly.
The warrior's voice carried genuine wonder. Very few things still surprised him after decades of travel.
He had personally witnessed Kurtz hone this magic from an unskilled level to such perfection during their time together.
The transformation had astounded him.
Kraft remembered his shock when Kurtz first cast the spell in front of him, though that experiment had failed. The seeds hadn't grown successfully; instead, they withered directly.
But experiment after experiment followed. The seeds progressed from growing without bearing fruit to now hanging heavy with produce, all within eight short days.
This timeframe passed like the blink of an eye for an elf, yet this human had achieved mastery in it.
Kraft found himself questioning everything he thought he knew about human limitations.
The tender sprouts grew quickly, transforming into complete plants in a flash and bearing fresh red fruits.
Kurtz picked a fruit and instinctively handed it to Serie, who stood beside him.
Serie took the fruit and bit into it. Sweet juice burst into her mouth, causing her to narrow her eyes slightly from the sweetness.
Her usual stern expression softened for a moment.
Somo approached at some point, his face radiating admiration: "Kurtz, you've become a walking granary!"
"What a strange comparison!"
Kurtz laughed and gave the dwarf a harmless punch.
He had grown thoroughly familiar with Somo during their travels.
Somo possessed the dwarf's natural boldness and bravery, plus an extra touch of meticulousness that ordinary dwarves lacked.
Each morning, Somo sharpened his axe with ritual precision, yet he charged headfirst into danger without hesitation.
Moreover, after learning about their destination, he showed no signs of backing down, instead, fighting spirit filled him.
From every perspective, he made a qualified adventure companion. It would be even more perfect if his appetite were smaller.
Actually, these two new companions had drastically depleted Kurtz's precious seasonings, and replenishing them had motivated him to create rapid growth magic.
Kraft stood not far away, complex light flickering in his eyes.
He had never encountered such a unique magical system—it bore no resemblance to elven heritage or Druid race magic. The patterns Kurtz wove belonged to something entirely foreign, yet undeniably effective.
The magic no longer seemed to originate from this world.
He had previously tried to subtly question Serie, but she revealed nothing.
He recognized their right to keep secrets, so he didn't press further, though curiosity consumed his heart.
'Some mysteries,' he reflected, 'deserved respect.'
Furthermore, Kurtz's displayed magical talent guaranteed he would become a powerful mage in the future.
Kraft anticipated that day's arrival.
That night, the four gathered around the bonfire.
Sparks drifted upward into the star-filled sky, carrying the scent of woodsmoke and cooked meat.
Since they would officially enter the Gemier Forest tomorrow, they felt no urgency and decided to rest for the night.
Kurtz already felt eager to meet his own kind.
After all, this marked the first time he would meet fellow humans since transmigrating over half a year ago.
Anticipation weighed heavily in his chest, mixed with uncertainty.
He hoped they would encounter a relatively kind tribe. If cunning and strife dominated them, Kurtz would refuse to teach them magic.
At this moment, Somo devoured the berries Kurtz had conjured with rapid growth magic, juice dripping down his smooth chin.
"Eat slowly," Kurtz said with a smile, handing him a cloth. "No one will snatch it from you."
The perfectly grilled skewers, carefully seasoned mushroom soup, and dessert berries could win over any creature's stomach in this world.
The aroma alone could make travelling merchants change their routes.
Somo wiped his mouth: "Kurtz, your cooking truly delights me! When this damn war ends, you must come to the Dwarf Kingdom and become a great chef!"
Somo had already learned about the conscription in his village. He had decided that once he became strong, he would return to the Dwarf Kingdom and earn respect as a warrior.
The war he referenced, of course, meant the three-race allied army's effort to clear out the monsters.
However, no one could guarantee when this war would end.
Even the leaders of the three races themselves lacked confidence.
"Being a chef isn't my dream."
Kurtz smiled and rejected Somo's suggestion. The firelight caught his expression—amused but distant.
'Are you kidding? At the very least, he wanted to become the oldest human mage or the first great sage. How could the mere identity of a dwarf chef satisfy him?'
As for becoming the first hero, Kurtz dismissed that idea.
The main reason: the Demon King didn't even exist yet, so even if you saved the world, no big boss would challenge you.
Moreover, in the mythical era, distinguishing righteous from evil proved difficult. All races fought for the gods they believed in, making it impossible to separate right from wrong.
The races had simply grown tired of fighting and decided to temporarily stop, first addressing the increasingly severe monster disaster.
"However, perhaps this war will be the last war."
Kraft added a log to the fire and suddenly spoke. As the only team member who maintained contact with the outside world, he naturally knew the latest developments.
The flames crackled higher, casting dancing shadows across their faces.
"Why?" Serie suddenly looked up.
She understood the subtext in Kraft's words, he meant more than just the three-race allied army.
"Actually, the Allied Council meeting already hinted at it. Mainly, all races have grown tired of fighting, and even the gods themselves have grown fed up with it."
In the mythical era, gods truly existed in the world, at least, they had established their foundation in this world.
Just due to this plane's limitations, the gods couldn't exert their full power.
However, they could utilise certain means to manifest their divine power among their followers and even permit their followers to harm other gods.
Kurtz had always wanted to witness those legendary gods. The thought both thrilled and terrified him.
"Tsk."
Serie made a soft sound and lowered her head. Kurtz naturally understood her unhappiness.
After all, Serie's ultimate goal demanded killing a god, and she hoped this war would create as much chaos as possible.
Then, suddenly, someone told her that the gods had grown tired and decided to stop this war.
Her anger made perfect sense.
They stop when they want to stop, and fight when they want to fight. What do they take their followers for?
If they intended to fight, they should fight to determine victory. Such a stalemate-like ending held no meaning!
Serie's small face hid in shadow, making her expression unclear. But Kurtz noticed her hands had clenched into fists.
Kurtz quietly moved closer and whispered, "Don't think too much."
Serie looked up, the firelight reflecting in her golden eyes: "You don't understand, this war has lasted for two thousand years! A full two thousand years!"
Her voice held barely concealed anger, each word sharp as broken glass. "Why... why didn't I appear in this world earlier!"
Kurtz remained silent. He could feel the weight of her frustration, the burden of arriving too late for whatever purpose drove her.
Some of Serie's ideas in this era had turned extreme.
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