Yarra’s Adventure Notes
Chapter 163 - 23 Difficult Progress_1

Chapter 163: Chapter 23 Difficult Progress_1

(263...084...458...join our reader’s group if you wish. PS: I appreciate all the support from readers who just happened past, your support is my strongest motivation. Also, could everyone share their thoughts? I’d greatly appreciate it. PS2: Regarding changes to the title, please refer to the related works.)

Welcome to the Shining Forest, one of the wonders of the Yarran Continent, where it is a world of day and night combined. In the Shining Forest, there is an area densely covered with parasitic plants, called the Flashing Vine. These vines produce a gentle glow at night which, in great quantities, can light up the forest like daylight.

"Is this the Flashing Vine?" Vivian curiously picked a leaf the size of a fingernail and asked Pannis, "Was this what caused the glow all night?"

"Yes, they were the cause." Pannis took the leaf from her and pointed at it, saying, "Every night, the entire leaf glows like it did last night, and no one quite understands why. Also, be mindful, the sap of the Flashing Vine is poisonous, do not touch it rashly."

"Will it corrode the skin?" Vivian asked, alarmed.

"No, the issue is that if after touching the sap, someone accidentally ingests it." Pannis was interrupted by the guide Elrad shouting "Avoid that spot!" from the front, followed by a few men’s shouts and chuckles.

"What’s going on upfront?" Vivian couldn’t see what was happening upfront due to Catherine standing in front of her. However, judging from other people’s reactions, it didn’t seem to be a major threat, so she simply asked out of curiosity.

"Nothing." The one to answer was Lina, who was walking ahead of Catherine. Since getting up in the morning, everyone has noticed that Lina had changed from her cold and detached manner, always wearing a sunny smile and actively greeting everyone, which scared people who weren’t familiar with her. At this moment, Lina walked at the head of the adventure team, in the middle of the group. Looking ahead, she said, "Someone fell into a swamp... It was Shadow Wolf, and he was quickly pulled up by Ground Squirrel, but now he’s covered in mud."

"There are swamps here?" Though Vivian seemed rather excited, she said enthusiastically, "Let me look, I’ve heard of them but never actually seen one."

"Even if you look, you wouldn’t be able to see anything." Pannis said, "It looks no different from the ground we’re walking on, it’s all covered by fallen leaves."

A group of ten, stepped into the real Shining Forest in the morning, feeling like they had entered another world once inside. The ground was not covered in dirt, but thick layers of fallen leaves. Year after year, countless towering trees shed their leaves in piles on the ground. Layer upon layer, overlapping like shifting snow drifts. Walking on this kind of ground felt like trudging through deep snow. Each step sinking up to the calf into the leaves, and the pace was much slower, resulting in the occasional stumble.

Looking up at the tree canopies, not a trace of sky was visible, only the intertwined tree crowns, casting the forest in perpetual gloom which had the ambiance of an early autumn evening. Though the forest was somber, it was not quiet. Birds’ singing, beasts howling, and insects chirping painted a vibrant picture for those who listened.

In the canopy, each bird dived to scoop up insects or small creatures on the ground and then flew back up to their nests, completely ignoring the walking humans around them. From under the pile of fallen leaves, numerous strange-looking creature heads were occasionally found, staring vigilantly at the passersby. They were only seen after the people passed, wrapped in invisibility, their appearances rippled the surface of the leaves.

Everyone walked cautiously. Under the strict instructions of Pannis and Elrad, they lined up in a single file, with Elrad leading the way and Pannis bringing up the rear. Each person held a sturdy tree branch, hitting the ground in front and to the sides of them as they pressed on. Under the impact of the branches, various bugs and snakes fled in panic from the leaf piles, hiding back within the leaves as if they had never been there.

"Elrad." Pannis suddenly called from the rear, "Let’s take a break. Don’t be in such a hurry on the first day, let everyone acclimate."

On seeing the guide agree to stop, everyone silently thanked Pannis for his suggestion. In the morning, although they only walked a few kilometers, the unfamiliar way of walking exhausted everyone. Regardless of being Silver or Gold Ranked, no professional seemed able to match Elrad, who was just a lower-ranked Black Iron. After walking this passage, Elrad showed no signs of fatigue. As for why Pannis wasn’t tired? To lend Catherine’s explanation about Dora: "Don’t mind him, he isn’t normal."

"Ah, I’m exhausted." Vivian cheered and relaxed onto the ground. As the shortest in the group, she was about the height of an 11 or 12-year-old child, her legs almost buried into the pile of leaves. Each step she took required efforts several times that of others, but she insisted on not letting Catherine carry her, giving herself a hard time.

"Get up, don’t sit down." Pannis appeared by Vivian’s side in an instant, helpibg her get up and said, "Underneath the leaves lurk numerous insect-type magical beasts besides insects; it’s very dangerous."

"But aren’t we wearing protective suits?" Vivian said, referring to the lizard skin suits they bought in the City of Knowledge, a must-have for forest adventures. The suit fit tightly to the skin and offered good ventilation to avoid feeling excessively stuffy, providing effective protection for the body.

"Protective suits aren’t omnipotent." Pannis shook his head, "If an insect-type magical beast of Silver Rank or higher is encountered, the suit wouldn’t help much. Remember, not all upper rank insect-type magical beasts have large physiques. Some Silver Rank beasts retain the regular size and physical condition of lower rank ones and only have a sharper means of attacks."

"Phew, it’s lucky we came prepared." Vivian began rummaging through her backpack and said with a smirk, "The goblin insect repeller we bought is about to come in handy."

"We should save that for when we set up camp, or Catherine might give you a punch." Pannis glanced at Catherine cautiously, noticing that she had clearly heard Vivian’s words. However, rather than stopping Vivian from her wasteful behavior, she quickly turned to Dora. Ignoring her fatigue, she began to argue with Dora over who should bear the cost of the crystals consumed along the way. "Well, it seems she won’t be hitting you for now. But it’s really not necessary, we should rest for ten minutes then continue on. Alright, wait a bit."

With that, Pannis walked over to a large tree. Despite its massive and smooth trunk, it was large enough that it would take several people to embrace it fully. Pannis, using his hands and feet, swiftly disappeared among the treetops, dozens of meters high. Soon, a dozen thick branches fell from the tree. Like a cushion made by nature, the thick pile of leaves easily neutralized the impact from his long fall.

"Are we sitting on branches?" asked Vivian, as she approached the fallen branches.

"No, chairs," Pannis responded with a mysterious smile, raising two Y-shaped branched above his head. Channeling his Aggression into the branches, he forcefully planted them into the ground. The branches were so long that they pierced through the carpet of fallen leaves and deep into the underlying soil. Once the Y-shaped branches were in position, he placed a straight branch across them. In an instant, a simple chair appeared in front of Vivian.

"Beautiful maiden," Pannis bent respectfully and gestured with his hand, "please, sit."

Vivian covered her mouth, giggling incessantly. After a moment, she nodded graciously, "Thank you, sir."

"My pleasure, esteemed lady," Pannis replied earnestly. He was about to say something more when a slap from behind almost knocked him over. Turning around, he found Lina’s bright smile. With an exuberant voice, Lina proclaimed, "Sir, I’d like one, too."

As a spellcaster, the Illusion Fox was not overly sensitive. However, both Dora and the other creatures including the Grey Rat, Shadow Wolf, and Night Owl, were taken aback by Pannis’ sudden make-shift construction. As fellow users of Aggression, they were well aware of the inherent difficulty of such a feat.

"Senior sister, this Pannis of yours is becoming more and more intriguing," Dora, who had been glued to Catherine’s side, murmured. Initially interrupting Catherine’s teasing, Pannis kneeling down drew her attention as he repeatedly thrust the branches into the soil. Fascinated, she found herself forgetting her own unfinished task. "His ability to infuse Aggression into wooden objects suggests impressive control."

"Would a simple man with mediocre control be able to juggle his duties as a Crystal Gunner?" Catherine retorted, waving her hand. "Come on, he’s prepared seats for us. Let’s sit."

"Elrad," Pannis said to the young guide once everyone was seated. "We’re heading north the whole day?"

"Yes, north," Elrad, who had been rather silent and unsociable during the trip, had shown some favor towards Pannis, who was evidently experienced with forest life. "We’ll head north for three days—no, four days at this pace—and then turn west for a day to reach our first estimated location."

"So... we’re taking a detour." Pannis asserted, "Oh, I see. You’re taking into account the magical beasts."

"Yes." Elrad responded, appreciating Pannis’ sharp intuition.

"We don’t need to consider magical beasts within five days of travel. We only need to avoid the territories of those particularly aggressive, pack living creatures. Other than that, we can guarantee safety. If danger arises, you can choose to retreat and observe." Pannis reasoned.

"I see, I’ll plan the route again tomorrow, then," Elrad conceded. "But we still have to head north today."

"Understood, experts make the rules," Pannis nodded. "I’ll lead the way for a while later. We’ll take turns."

Elrad paused. Although he had seen Pannis demonstrate his capabilities that very morning, he was still somewhat puzzled. "It’s fine for you to go first, but why?"

"Leading is tough," Pannis chuckled. "Today, we’re going to travel for a full twenty-two hours. It’s too tiring for one person."

"Alright then," said Elrad after a moment, holding out his hand towards Pannis. "Nice to meet you, my name is Elrad."

"Nice to meet you too, I’m Pannis," Pannis reciprocated the gesture, reaching out his hand and their palms met in the air.