Noah ultimately did not refuse Encore's mother's request. He carried the backpack Encore had prepared and set off on the journey to find the Wish Door.
"The feeling that I'm losing her forever ~
And without really entering her world ~
I'm glad whenever I can share her laughter, That funny little girl ~"
"Slipping through my fingers all the time~ I try to capture every minute~ The feeling in it~"
Having promised Encore's mother not to be a disappointing adult, Noah hummed the tune of Grow With You as he embarked on the journey.
Encore sat on his backpack, happily tapping the rhythm with her hands.
"Slipping through my fingers all the time~ Do I really see what's in her mind?~ Each time I think I'm close to knowing~"
"She keeps on growing~ Slipping through my fingers all the time~"
The whistling wind lifted Encore's pink twin-tails. The originally distant road was reached in the blink of an eye. Looking up, there stood a towering Wooly Mountain reaching into the clouds.
"Wooly Warrior, according to Mommy's clues, we need to climb to the top of the mountain to find the Sword of Courage."
"Okay meow~ No problem meow~"
Looking at the incredibly smooth Wooly Mountain, Noah's mouth twitched. He tried hard to grab the mountain surface and climb up.
Obviously, with only an ordinary person's physique in Encore's dream world, he couldn't climb up at all.
"This is when we need the help of the White Wooly Fairy." Encore said excitedly. "Wooly Warrior, quickly call the White Wooly Fairy with me."
Enduring the shame, Noah and Encore meowed together while calling for the White Wooly Fairy.
After countless calls, the kind and obedient White Wooly plush appeared. It pressed a mechanism, and clusters of white clouds lifted Noah up, forming a bridge spiraling upward around the mountain. Encore loudly encouraged him:
"Wooly Warrior, charge! The Wooly Warrior is the strongest!"
This little rascal. Noah smiled and quickened his steps.
In this fantasy world of Encore's, he wouldn't feel tired, which was one of the comfortable parts.
The Wooly Mountain looked very high, but climbing it was much faster than imagined. Before long, Noah brought Encore to the platform at the summit.
There, two familiar treasure chests awaited.
Opening the first treasure chest, inside was a short wooden sword missing a corner — the first treasure, the Sword of Courage.
Noah swung the Sword of Courage a few times. It felt very low quality.
"Don't just stand there, Wooly Warrior. Quickly open the second treasure chest." Encore urged.
"Meow~"
Noah opened the second treasure chest. Inside was a black Wooly plush toy.
"Oh no, Wooly Warrior, it's the Black Wooly Demon! It will summon many monsters. Quickly pick up the sword and defeat them."
As soon as Encore finished speaking, the black Wooly plush indeed turned into a cloud of black smoke. When the smoke dispersed, ten Common-class Tick Tack Remnants appeared before them.
Seeing this, Noah's face stiffened. Looking at the low-quality small wooden sword in his hand, he felt even more numb.
No way, he only had an ordinary person's physique right now. Fighting three or four might be manageable, but ten?
"Wooly Warrior, quickly defeat them!"
"Me? Me?"
Noah swallowed a mouthful of saliva and glanced again at the small wooden sword in his hand.
Since it was the Sword of Courage imagined by Encore, it should have its own unique power, right?
Thinking this, Noah swung the sword with full strength at the nearest Tick Tack. The latter didn't move at all and even scratched the spot where it was stabbed, as if itchy.
The Wooly's, how the hell am I supposed to fight this? I can't even break their defense.
Noah made an immediate decision. He picked up Encore and ran straight away.
"Eh eh! Wooly Warrior, why are you running? You should bravely defeat them!"
"Stop joking meow~ I'm the most timid and afraid of trouble meow~"
To Encore's question, Noah casually brushed it off. The next second, a tall figure blocked his path.
Elite-class Remnant, Kerasaur!
Noah hurriedly braked and tried to retreat in another direction, but when he turned around, he found nine more Kerasaurs behind him.
At this moment, Noah's face turned green.
"Wooly Warrior, the previous Tick Tacks have evolved into Kerasaurs. If you don't defeat them soon, they will evolve again."
"How can they evolve like this? The Wooly's Darwin's theory of evolution doesn't exist anymore."
"What is the theory of evolution? Encore doesn't understand. Wooly Warrior, quickly give the sword to Encore."
Noah handed the small wooden sword to Encore. The next moment, the small wooden sword transformed into a majestic divine sword.
Encore lightly swung the sword. An exaggerated special effect sword light flew out, and five Kerasaurs instantly vanished into smoke.
Noah stared blankly at the scene, his expression gradually turning stunned, then suddenly relieved.
After all, this was Encore's deep consciousness, a child's world of imagination. Of course she wanted to be the protagonist.
Although Encore had been calling him the Wooly Warrior the whole way, in reality, she was the real Wooly Warrior.
On the other hand, he had treated this story game like a real quest and had been too serious.
While thinking, Encore had already defeated all the Kerasaurs. She turned around with a happy smile on her face:
"Wooly Warrior, Encore has defeated all the Kerasaurs. Is Encore amazing or not?"
"Super skilled meow~ Encore Warrior defeated all the monsters in one go, so cool meow~"
Carrying Encore on his back, Noah headed to the next location while continuing to coax the child, making Encore beam with joy:
"The Wooly Warrior is really too timid and afraid of trouble. You should be as brave as Encore."
"Yes meow~"
"But it's understandable. Everyone has things they're afraid of. Encore also has things she's afraid of."
"Meow?"
Hearing this, Noah became curious:
"What is Encore Warrior afraid of meow?"
"Encore is also very afraid that one day she will become like those boring adults, chasing after all kinds of things and forgetting the dreams she had when she was little."
"Oh? What is Encore's dream? Tell me, maybe the Wooly Warrior can help you fulfill it meow."
"I want Mommy to be happy every day."
Noah suddenly fell silent and did not say anything more on this topic.
It didn't take too long before he brought Encore to a vast plain.
"Wooly Warrior, we need to have firm conviction and search every corner to find the Shield of Conviction."
"Okay meow."
Having completely figured out Encore's story pattern, Noah put on a serious expression and searched for a while, then pretended to be distressed and asked Encore for help:
"Encore Warrior, the Wooly Warrior doesn't have enough firm conviction and can't find the shield meow."
"Even if you gain nothing after working hard, you mustn't give up easily. Since you sincerely asked for help, Encore will help you."
Before long, Encore raised a shiny shield with a face full of joy:
"Wooly Warrior, Encore found the Shield of Conviction!"
"You're too amazing, Encore Warrior. I declare you the strongest meow~"
After a round of lavish praise, the duo set off on the journey again, chatting as they walked.
"Wooly Warrior, what wish will you make when we find the Wish Door?"
"I'll wish for one of my warrior friends to wake up from her deep sleep. Encore Warrior, what wish will you make after finding the Wish Door?"
"Mommy gets sick every day. Encore wants to stay here forever, find the three treasures, defeat the evil Gulpuff Demon King, and pray to the Wish Door for Mommy to become healthy and stay with Encore forever. This is Encore's conviction."
Upon hearing this, Noah fell silent once again.
Wanting to see Mommy happy, wanting Mommy to be healthy, wanting to stay by Mommy's side — these convictions were Encore's courage, allowing her to embark on adventures full of hope again and again.
But her mother had already passed away from illness long ago.
Why did Encore fall into a deep sleep and refuse to wake up? Because in dreams bloomed flowers that reality could not reach.
Perhaps because he was a boring adult, he felt... this story... was not happy at all.
With quickened steps, they finally arrived at the last stop — the Dark Castle.
Though called dark, it was decorated with flowers and butterflies, making it neither gloomy nor terrifying, but uniquely whimsical.
"The evil Gulpuff Demon King has occupied the castle and the Crown of Hope. Wooly Warrior, we must defeat it to obtain the Crown of Hope."
"Alright! I'm going in meow!"
Looking at the huge Gulpuff in front of him, Noah charged forward, acted out a scene of it chasing him, then ran back to Encore's side:
"Meow~ Encore Warrior, I need your help meow~"
"Okay! Encore is going in."
Left hand holding the Shield of Conviction, right hand holding the Sword of Courage, Encore excitedly rushed forward. The White Wooly and Black Wooly plush toys appeared out of thin air, grabbing the Gulpuff from both sides.
With one slash, the evil Demon King met its end. The Crown of Hope descended from the sky and slowly landed on Encore's head.
After collecting all three treasures, the glowing Wish Door appeared. Encore excitedly rushed through the door.
Noah followed closely behind. What greeted his eyes was the warm little castle where Encore had first brought him.
The warm-toned big bed, various cute building blocks and plush toys. The woman's face had regained a healthy color as she lovingly hugged the coquettish Encore.
"Mommy, Encore and the Wooly Warrior found the Wish Door."
"Good, good. Our Encore is the most, most, most amazing~"
A ray of sunset light shone through the window into the small castle, sprinkling on Encore's joyful cheeks. In the shadows, the mother gently stroked her daughter's head.
Encore proudly raised the small storybook in her hands like a treasure. The cover of the storybook had changed from a cartoon drawing to a realistic one.
The wind blew open the pages. Inside were scenes of the Wooly Warrior story drawn in cartoon style:
"Encore and the Wooly Warrior went on an adventure together, climbed a very tall mountain to get the sword, searched a very big plain for the shield, and after much difficulty defeated the evil Demon King to obtain the crown. After passing through the Wish Door, Encore saw Mommy."
The mother smiled and nodded, responding gently:
"This is a very happy story."
"Encore still has so many stories and so many things she wants to tell Mommy."
"Encore."
The woman suddenly hugged Encore tightly, calling her name softly. Her hanging hair covered her eyes, making it impossible to see her joy or sorrow in the sunset shadows:
"The Wish Door has felt your and the Wooly Warrior's sincere wishes. From now on, Mommy won't get sick anymore."
Hearing this, Encore was stunned, then overjoyed:
"That's wonderful! Mommy will be healthy forever and never get sick again."
"Yes. The Wooly Warrior's story has reached its ending. Good Encore, go on adventures to even farther places with the Wooly Warrior. Mommy will always wait here for you to tell stories."
"No, Encore doesn't want to leave Mommy."
"But growing up always comes with loss, Encore. Mommy will fly up to the sky. When I miss you, I'll turn into rain and come down to see you."
After the final embrace ended, the mother placed her daughter's hand into the Wooly Warrior's hand. The Wooly Warrior lowered his head and led the somewhat confused daughter away step by step.
The Wooly Clouds were disappearing. The Wooly Mountain was disappearing. The small, brightly colored castle was also disappearing. The mother watched her daughter's figure gradually walk farther away.
"Encore—"
Hearing a soft call, Encore turned her head.
The soft face deeply etched in her memory gradually became blurry until it was no longer clear.
From the trembling outline, it was impossible to tell whether that face was smiling lovingly or crying sadly:
"Mommy always loves you."
[Companion Story: "Small Wooly, Big Adventures" has been completed.]
Dreams are fake, but love is real. Therefore, this is a very happy story.
...