The thrill of newfound strength gradually faded, and Orien forced himself calm again. Even with his expanded energy pool and stronger body, stumbling blindly in the unfamiliar jungles of Sumeru was suicide.
"The priority is figuring out exactly where I am, finding a human settlement, and getting information. Best case, a detailed map of Sumeru," he thought.
He recalled what he knew from the game: the rainforest was patrolled by forest rangers. They maintained safety, knew the terrain, and culled monsters. If he could meet them, that would be ideal.
So he chose not to plunge into the jungle, but to move cautiously along the coast. The shoreline offered open sightlines and better reaction time if danger appeared, and settlements or ports usually sat near rivers or beaches.
As he walked, he tested his powers. The expanded pool allowed him to use skills without worry, and the passive Guerrilla Tactics made moving through difficult terrain smoother, saving stamina.
After half a day, as the sun slanted westward, the scene ahead changed.
A wide river spilled out from the rainforest into the sea. Beside it lay the traces of a road—overgrown, but clearly human-made.
"A road! Perfect." Orien brightened and followed it upstream.
Not far along, he heard faint voices—and the hum of machinery.
He slowed, using Guerrilla Tactics to approach silently, hiding behind a broad banana leaf tree.
Two figures stood on the path.
One was unmistakable—short gray-green hair, large, fluffy dark-green ears twitching with alertness, and a long, bushy tail tipped with white swaying behind him. He wore a ranger's uniform, crouched, inspecting a wooden supply cart with a broken wheel.
"Tighnari?!" Orien instantly recognized the renowned forest ranger captain and biologist of Gandharva Ville.
Beside him stood a thin youth in desert-style garb, headscarf wrapped and goggles hiding much of the face. Awkwardly bracing the cart, movements clumsy and shy.
"Collei?" Orien guessed, uncertain through the coverings.
"Collei, no need to strain, just hold it steady," Tighnari said warmly, though his tone held a professional focus. "The axle's jammed with crystallized fungi spores. Needs clearing. These herbs must reach Gandharva Ville quickly."
"Y-yes, Master Tighnari," the youth answered softly, hoarse and timid.
It really was Collei. The timeline seemed to be before the Traveler's arrival—she still studied under Tighnari, her Eleazar yet untreated, leaving her weak and hesitant.
As Orien weighed stepping forward or watching longer—
[Ding! Interactive character detected!]
[Random Quest Triggered: "A Ranger's Trouble"]
[Objective: Appear reasonably and help Tighnari and Collei repair the cart.]
[Reward: +1000 Break Value, slight Sumeru reputation, initial favor with Tighnari and Collei.]
[Failure Penalty: None. (But you may miss key intel.)]
A quest? The reward wasn't huge, but favor with such crucial figures was priceless.
"Appear reasonably, huh…" Orien rubbed his chin, then smirked.
He straightened his battered adventurer's outfit, deliberately made noisy footsteps, and stumbled out looking weary but relieved.
"Excuse me… are you forest rangers?" he called, weaving in his Silver Tongue passive, projecting sincerity and harmlessness.
At once, Tighnari's ears shot up, turning toward him. Collei flinched like a startled animal, ducking behind her teacher with wary eyes.
Tighnari stood, hand casually near his bow, eyes cool as he sized up the ragged adventurer. He scanned Orien's worn gear, empty pack, and the weary-yet-hopeful look.
"I am Tighnari, forest ranger. And you are?" His voice was calm but cautious. Strangers didn't belong here.
"Thank the Archons! Finally someone!" Orien let out a believable sigh of relief. "My name's Orien, just an ordinary adventurer. My ship was wrecked in a storm, I washed ashore and wandered half the day, nearly lost…"
Half-truth, half-lie, painting himself as a castaway.
"A sea storm?" Tighnari's ears twitched. "The southern waters have indeed been unstable lately. And your companions?"
"Scattered… only I washed up here." Orien's face showed sorrow, perfectly timed.
Tighnari studied him. Orien's performance and skill buff held up—no glaring cracks.
"…I see." Tighnari's tone softened slightly. "This is the Avidya Forest coast. You're fortunate not to have entered deeper—far more dangerous than here."
He gestured to the cart. "As you see, we've trouble. This shipment must reach Gandharva Ville, but the axle is stuck."
"Can I help?" Orien asked quickly, seizing the chance. "I fixed many carts while traveling. Perhaps I can do something."
Tighnari considered, then nodded. "Collei, hand him the tools."
"O-okay…" Collei handed over a bag without meeting Orien's eyes.
Orien crouched to inspect. The axle was jammed by purple-crystalized fungi spores. Using the tools and carefully channeling Verdant Feather Strike (Midori Hane Sasu) energy, he softened and pried the crystals free with delicate precision.
Tighnari's brows rose slightly—such steady work, no harm to the axle.
"You're skilled," he admitted. "These spore crystals are hard and corrosive. Few clear them so neatly."
"Survival in the wild demands many skills," Orien answered with a grin. He expanded the metal just enough with Dendro stimulation, then snapped the last shard free.
"Try it now."
Tighnari rolled the cart—the wheel turned smoothly.
"Wonderful! Thank you, Mr. Orien!" Collei's face lit in shy relief, the wariness in her eyes easing.
[Ding! Quest 'A Ranger's Trouble' completed!]
[+1000 Break Value, +100 Sumeru reputation, Tighnari favor +15, Collei favor +10.]
"Just lending a hand." Orien smiled casually. "By the way… Gandharva Ville—is that nearby? May I come along? I'm penniless, with nowhere to go…"
Emphasizing his "stranded" role, he asked reasonably.
Tighnari blinked, weighing. Leaving a castaway alone here wasn't right, and he owed him.
"Of course. Gandharva Ville lies deeper in the forest. Safer than here. You may lodge there for now."
"Thank you!" Orien showed heartfelt gratitude.
Thus the three journeyed together—Tighnari leading, Collei pushing, Orien tagging along while fishing for intel.
"Mr. Tighnari, how is Sumeru these days? I've always admired the Akademiya's wisdom."
"The Akademiya…" Tighnari's ears twitched. His voice cooled slightly. "It indeed gathers knowledge. Recently… the Matra seem especially busy."
A subtle dodge, but revealing: the Akademiya was troubled, and Cyno was active.
Orien turned to Collei. "And Miss Collei, a ranger apprentice? Impressive."
"M-me? I'm still… not good enough…" she blushed, lowering her head.
"Collei works hard and improves quickly," Tighnari said gently, his tone like that of a protective elder.
From the talk, Orien pieced together the current state: Akademiya restricting knowledge flow, Void Terminals under tighter control, Fungi unusually aggressive. As for Lesser Lord Kusanali… Tighnari never mentioned her, almost as if taboo.
Soon, after an hour's walk through thick forest, the path opened—revealing a town built among colossal trees. Wooden platforms and bridges spanned branches, homes nestled against trunks, rangers and scholars moving everywhere.
Gandharva Ville.
"This is Gandharva Ville," Tighnari explained. "We'll register you, then I'll arrange lodging."
"Thank you, Mr. Tighnari." Orien bowed gratefully. This was a good start—safe entry and initial trust with key figures.
But just as they approached the main bridge, Tighnari suddenly stopped. His ears twitched, nose sniffing faintly.
He turned, gazing at Orien with a thoughtful look.
"By the way, Mr. Orien."
"You seem to carry a very unusual… and extremely powerful trace of Electro energy. Care to tell me where it came from?"
(End of Chapter)
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