Chapter 11: Luna Flower.
Takeshi sighed. "Damn it, why are there so many vines and bushes? I just bought this knife, and it's already getting dull just from cutting plants."
Airi laughed disdainfully. "What's this? You're looking for a flower for the little girl you told me about, but you sound forced."
Takeshi walked and gritted his teeth, chopping down bushes to clear the path. "I'm just complaining a bit."
Airi looked curious. "Hey, Takeshi, do you know what else the Luna flower is used for?"
Takeshi looked confused. "Huh? Used for what?"
"So, you don't know what it's for? When I first heard you were looking for a flower, I thought you were looking for some rare flower used to enhance the energy capacity inside the body. Who knew you were looking for the Luna flower."
"Actually, the Luna flower has a few uses. For example: it's used as an ingredient by apothecaries to make medicine. Or it's used as a catalyst by alchemists to mix complex potions together."
"In short, the Luna flower, though not rare, has enormous utility. And it's also easy to grow. Without the Luna flower, alchemists wouldn't be able to brew complex potions."
Takeshi looked surprised by the information about the Luna flower.
"Really? The Luna flower sounds amazing. No wonder she liked this flower."
The image of the little girl flashed through Takeshi's mind. But he wasn't sad; he was excited to hear about the Luna flower. He had only seen it in a drawing and had never seen it before.
"By the way, Airi, do you know what the flower looks like? Actually, I don't really know. I only remember a few details from seeing it once in a book."
Airi looked at Takeshi with a displeased expression. Her eyes showed clear contempt, and she curled her lip. "You really have a problem. You don't know what it looks like, and you dared to go look for it? What if you remembered incorrectly?"
Takeshi walked and scratched his head, his face embarrassed. "Well... I planned to get there and ask the locals."
When Airi heard Takeshi, her face fell, and she sighed. "I can't believe you. I guess what I said yesterday during our argument, that you're an idiot, was right."
Takeshi's face was veined with anger. He turned his face away, looking annoyed. "Hmph, I'm still mad at you. Don't push your luck."
Airi had a teasing look, walking closer to Takeshi and laughing. "Heh... Heh, are you still mad? You hold a grudge for a long time. Are you planning to remember it forever?"
Takeshi's face was now redder than a ripe tomato, steam almost coming out of his head. Then he shouted at Airi. "Shut up! Talk less!"
Airi covered her mouth to stifle her laughter, but small sounds still escaped because the forest was very quiet. This annoyed Takeshi even more. He frowned, his face clearly showing his displeasure.
"Even though I was wrong, I can't believe you cried and said those touching words yesterday."
Takeshi's face was now even redder than a ripe tomato. He shouted again, "I told you to shut up!"
The two walked and teased each other, their laughter echoing continuously. Before long, they reached the foot of the mountain.
Looking up, it was a very high mountain, with treacherous, steep cliffs and rocky ledges that looked like they could fall at any moment.
The two of them began to climb the mountain. Each held a stick and continued to ascend.
"Hey, Airi, hurry up, you're lagging too far behind."
Airi was still at the very bottom of the mountain, panting heavily. Her face was covered in sweat, and she was speechless.
"Slow... slow down... wait... wait for me. Why are you climbing so fast?"
Takeshi ran back down the mountain to where Airi was standing and gave her two apple tarts. "Here, eat this. After you eat, we'll rest for a bit and then continue."
The two sat down on a large, slightly protruding rock. Airi was eating the tart, her face showing enjoyment and delight.
"This mountain is truly high. Airi, if you can't climb, just stay down here. I'll climb up alone."
Airi immediately stopped eating. "What are you talking about? I have to see you find the Luna flower with my own eyes."
"Airi, we've climbed over 50 tharn already. Although the mountain isn't steep and is quite easy to climb, are you sure it's easy to find? Or are you just saying that to motivate me?"
"Huh? Why would I do that? Just keep climbing; you'll definitely see it."
A moment later, they had climbed higher, but they encountered a sheer vertical section that prevented them from continuing, forcing them to take a detour.
As they went around, the path was quite narrow but wide enough for two people. Airi glanced down, her eyes widened in surprise, and then her face turned to joy. She shouted and pointed downwards.
"Takeshi, look, look! That's the Luna flower!"
Takeshi's face lit up with joy as he looked down, but his expression changed. The flower was growing on a cliff face.
The flower was sky blue with a red stamen, its roots anchored in the rock. It looked very beautiful.
Takeshi fell into thought. "Damn it, why is it growing there? How am I supposed to get it? The spot where I'm standing is about 2 tharn away from the flower. What should I do?"
Suddenly, a plan sparked in Takeshi's head. "That's right! I need to use the vines from the forest below to make a rope to climb down, but I'm too high up now. If I go down, I'll die, and it'll take forever to climb back up. What should I do? Climb down, get the vines, and bring them back up?"
Then, Takeshi decided to climb down to find the vines. Looking down now, it looked like a sheer, vertical slope with no end.
Airi looked at Takeshi in alarm. "Hey, what the hell are you doing? Why are you going down?"
"I'm going down to find vines to make a rope. You stay here and wait for me."
"Huh? Are you crazy? What if you slip on the way down? You'll die!"
"But what's the use of staying up here? Are you planning to sit and admire the flower?"
Airi fell silent. She knew she couldn't change Takeshi's mind. She bit her lip, her face filled with frustration.
"Damn it, I wish I could turn my energy into a rope and reach the flower. But the energy control stone that Father implanted in me is still inside. Although I severed the connection so he couldn't find me, the effect of the stone is still there."
"Damn it, why did I demand to use that stone back then to reduce my energy and focus on physical training? Now, I guess I'll just have to let him do it. But why did I train physically, and yet I'm slower than him when climbing the mountain?"
"Is my physical strength weaker than his? But if I use my energy, I'm definitely stronger than him."
Airi watched Takeshi walk away, her face clearly showing worry.
Takeshi was taking sure, steady steps down the mountain. He gritted his teeth, his face worried. Takeshi knew that any carelessness now could easily cost him his life.
"Damn it, why does it look like this on the way down? It's terrifying."
It was dark. Takeshi finally took his labored steps down the mountain, panting heavily, his face covered in sweat, and pale from exhaustion.
"So... so tired. Finally, I'm down the mountain."
Takeshi looked back up at the mountain, his face clearly showing fatigue but also worry.
"I wonder if she's okay up there. I left all the food and water up there, so she should be fine."
Gripping his knife tightly, Takeshi went back into the forest. He looked up at the trees, searching everywhere. He looked for vines that were both long and thick enough to use as a rope to climb down.
After a while, Takeshi found three very long vines. Although the forest was very dark, Takeshi still tried to look closely and braid them together. He braided them to create a stronger rope.
Takeshi braided the vines into a rope thicker than his arm, wrapped it around several times, put it on his shoulder, and began to climb the mountain again.
"It took a while to braid this rope because it's dark. I hope Airi is okay up there."
Takeshi climbed up, his body tired, but the enthusiasm from his will was still strong. "I'll bring the flower back to you soon. Wait for me, Hana."
Takeshi's legs were starting to shake. Airi looked down and saw a small figure in the distance. Her face brightened with joy.
Takeshi finally reached the top, panting heavily. Airi saw him and immediately ran out to help Takeshi and gave him the water bottle.
"Here, drink some water. It's dark now, and we can't see the flower below. I think we should wait until tomorrow morning to get it."
Takeshi was still panting and drank the water continuously. The wind blew non-stop at this altitude. The moon tonight was not bright; it was a crescent shape. The two of them felt a bit cold being so high up.
Takeshi wiped his mouth after drinking, took a deep breath, and let out a long sigh. "Alright, then we'll get the flower tomorrow morning."
The spot where the two of them were lying was quite cramped, and they had no blanket. Airi couldn't sleep and looked up at the crescent moon, which was emitting faint light. Clouds continually drifted past the moon, blocking the faint light shining down on the two people. It was like a candle in the wind.
Takeshi was sleeping soundly next to her. He seemed very tired today. Airi turned toward Takeshi, watching him sleep peacefully.
Airi lay thinking about the previous night. The scene of Takeshi getting angry and then bursting into tears came back.
"Damn it, why do I keep thinking about that? I feel guilty, somehow."
"Seeing him like this, I wonder what his friend is like."
The clouds drifted past the moon, and a little light shone down. It was directly above the heads of the two.
The next morning. Takeshi was tying the rope he had braided to a large rock in the distance, then throwing the other end down the cliff face, where the flower was growing.
Airi looked at Takeshi, her face and voice full of worry. "Be careful."
"Don't worry."
Takeshi stepped toward the rope, preparing to climb down. His determined face was evident, his eyes fixed on the spot below.
Takeshi slowly climbed down, gripping the rope tightly with his hands, his feet pushing against the cliff face. He gritted his teeth as he moved inch by inch.
Every time he let go to reach for the lower part of the rope, he was one step closer to death. Takeshi's heart pounded in his chest.