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The setup ensured that if Kline cut them down with his phantom claws, it would fall right into the pit.

"I’m going to try to ward them off," I said to Kline, looking at the nest of reapers. "Once they’re gone, cut the bag. Got it?"

Kline mewed.

I swallowed and moved toward the area—slowly.

They’re deceiving you, my brain told me. They lured you in to ensure that you couldn’t run this time. You should’ve inoculated them. Showed them who’s boss. Threw out slurry like Caesar throwing bread in Rome. It’s not too late. There’s still time.

I ignored my self-doubt and walked up to the writhing mass of reapers, expecting them to strike. They didn’t. Just as before, they started ducking underground like falling dominos. Before I knew it, I had walked right through the area and it was free of reapers. Now, I was just stuck there, feeling my heart pulsing and prodding and beating, screaming at me. But I had done it.

I turned slowly and saw Kline. There were hundreds of reapers behind him, dotting the land like landmines, but they weren’t near him or in the path we walked. "You ready?"

Kline meowed confidently.

I nodded and moved to the side, limping now from my foot. More reapers moved out of the way. Then I looked at the backpack and gave the signal. "Cut it."

Kline was ready. An invisible force left a light breeze as it went through the air—but didn’t reach the reaper holding it up. He tried again.

"Stop!" I said. "You’re gonna run out. Then we’re screwed."

Kline yowled in disappointment.

After thinking about it, I thought back to freeing Kline from the dead tendril and how fast it released him, even under the threat of heat. I reached into my pocket, pulled out my trusty green BIC, and looked at the reapers wrapped around the massive tree trunk.

"Listen, Kline," I said. "This could work or it might make them swarm us. If they do, I need you to fight them, okay?"

Kline meowed worriedly.

"But stay there for now. I need you to cut the bag if necessary."

He meowed again.

I moved to the tree, finding the vine responsible. I stared at it like a bomb wire that needed defusing. Then I got close, put my finger on the wheel, and struck it.

Chich. Chich.

Butane combusted, creating a light heat—then the entire tendril disconnected from the trunk, flailing around, almost catching me on the cheek as I fell onto my but. I held the water sack shut, but some of it fell onto the ground. Then hell broke loose.

Reapers started popping out of the holes they escaped from, and Kline howled in the background. A moment later, I heard a thud from my backpack.

I scrambled to my feet and rushed at it. The reapers were popping up around it, so I grabbed my bag as fast as I could, but two were already stuck to it.

"Get off!" I yelled, splashing the tendrils with the slurry. They immediately let go and flailed around, but a dozen more shot up around me.

Kline jumped into the fray, clawing through the tendrils. Far from the weak cat I saved with a lucky stab that morning, he started shredding through the reapers like a blender, growling and hissing and biting as I clambered to my feet.

"Let’s move!" I yelled, limping forward. Kline reacted, shooting forward—making an opening like a lawnmower.

Things were getting bad, and I wouldn’t survive if I had to keep limping. So I took the plunge and splashed slurry onto my bad foot. I would worry about it infecting me once I survived!

My foot instantly healed, giving me freedom of movement. I twisted the water sack, threw my backpack on my shoulders, clipped it in place, and ran, catching up to Kline. He was hacking and slashing and biting his way to glory, and for a moment, I thought our victory was guaranteed. It wasn’t. Ten minutes later, his movements became strained, and he started staggering.

"Mana deprivation…" I whispered. That made my chest heat up. "Hang in there, Kline!"

He did. My little trooper held out a little bit longer, getting us to a clearing before he collapsed.

"Kline!" I threw the rest of the slurry around him like it was salt at a seance. Then I threw the water sack into my jacket, rushed forward, and picked him up. He was cold—so cold. "Hang in there!" I yelled.

I didn’t know what to do, but I needed to leave. So I turned with full mobility—and ran—ran as fast as my feet could take me, jumping onto dirt, following the path that the reapers wouldn’t touch anymore.

Hold in there, Kline, I thought. The map flashed in front of me. There was only a quarter mile before the red line became blue. I ran there without delay but the reapers were prepared. They had built a barricade and were waiting. There were hundreds in rows, densely packed, only leaving the path we walked in. That left us an escape route. It was like trying to navigate a race car through an alleyway—but I had to. Not only for me, but also for Kline.

Kline.

Kline was cold and shivering. He fought for me. He risked his life. Kline—the cat that always heckled my mom and loved me for me. Kline—the cat who allowed me to live alone and live life the way I wanted without getting lonely. Kline—my best friend.

My mind sharpened, and my resolve doubled. I was going to save my fucking cat, and these things weren’t going to stop me!

I stopped caring about everything else. I hit the right angle as I ran, moving toward that passage. The reapers started to close it off like archways, but I got a good foothold and jumped as far as I could.

My feet barely made it an inch over the tendrils.

I was happy—until I hit the ground. Then I rolled, protecting Kline’s little body with mine. Then we hit a rock, and I blacked out.

I don’t think I was out for long. When I opened my eyes, my world was still spinning, and my senses were blurry. Kline was in my arms, coiled up in a ball, still cold.

Something felt off…

Then I realized that I wasn’t breathing. I forced my diaphragm to work and took a deep breath—and the world and senses returned.

That’s when I heard the chime.

—---

Neophyte Mira Hill has completed the Legacy Quest: "Get Your Stuff Back."

Quest Summary: Your knee-jerk decisions have landed you in the pits of hell, and the Trial of Worth certainly isn’t helping. Now, you are in a dangerous location without any survival equipment and a class that’s—just as I’ve warned you—practically useless for The Path in the short run. But rejoice—the Guide has recognized your desire for revenge and has offered you a path to salvation.

Value: Obtain the means for survival.

Requirement(s):

Obtain your survival equipment.

Survive.

Complete the quest within 24 hours.

Rewards:

An Epic Soul Weapon

Temporary Shelter

A Six-Month Barrier That Prevents Beasts Third Evolution or Higher From Entering Your Location

Quest Reward

Hidden Rewards.

Safe path to temporary shelter.

Recovery chest.

—---

Another eight level-up notifications popped up, followed by my map updating. There was now a brand new path to a house icon. Beautiful.

I took a deep breath. "Hang in there, Kline…" I said. "There’s a recovery chest…."

I was not sure what that was, but it sounded hopeful—and I needed hope.

Kline… My eyes welled with tears as I got up and cradled him in my arms. Then I rushed off into the forest, following the path, sparing no thought to the things below me.

My muscles were aching. I could feel myself slowing down considerably. My body was becoming feverish, as promised. The Wisteris poison was taking root, and my neck became numb.

It was dark, but the magic circle on my backpack worked with a flashlight, and the rest of the light was provided by the pink and purple moons. Huh. Pink and purple. Truly another world. I thought that and then pressed on, speaking to Kline and refusing to give up.

Then I got to the house icon. It was just a tree—a normal-looking tree. I looked up for a treehouse, but there was none. I looked down, but there was only dirt.

"What… is this?" I asked, crying. I stumbled forward to lean against the tree—and melted right through it.

I slammed onto a hardwood floor. I groaned and looked around, finding a small room with a bed, desk, bathtub, toilet—without running water—and a chest. Strange glow stones lighted it. In the corner was the most beautiful bow I had ever seen—but I didn’t spare it a second glance.

I laid Kline on the bed and rushed to the chest.

It clicked the instant I touched it, allowing me to open it. Inside, there were six boxes with magical circles on them. I touched them one after the other, and they unlocked and opened up, exposing different-colored vials, bottles, and strange items. Only one didn’t unlock.

I used Identify, and it said:

—---

Name: The Recovery Box

Grade: Platinum

Summary: A box containing a hidden reward that you did not earn from completing the Legacy Quest, "Get Your Stuff Back."

Note: This box’s array was made by a Seventh Evolution demigod. Cracking it is impossible outside of godhood.

—---

I grimaced and rummaged through the boxes. The first contained a glass bottle with a glowing blue liquid and a spoon. It almost looked radioactive—and definitely toxic—but when I used Identify, I sighed in relief.

—---

Name: Maralune Syrup

Type: Mana Recovery

Grade: First Evolution

Summary: Mana deprivation without a mana core is a serious condition that can result in impaired proprioception, hypothermia, tachycardia, hypotension, and adrenal insufficiency, often resulting in dizziness, unsteady gait, and loss of consciousness. The conventional response is to keep the individual warm to recover, but this syrup can restore mana directly.

Dosage: One tablespoon for humans, half a spoonful for animals.

Note: This elixir was earned by Kline using mana during the Legacy Quest, "Get Your Stuff Back." It is recommended to use this syrup on Kline in a warm bath.

Pursuing an alchemy subclass or obtaining books in the Library unlocks more information on alchemical creations.

—---

I immediately opened the bottle. It smelled of Nyquill and trust issues, but I didn’t have time to wonder what it tasted like. I poured a small amount onto the spoon and knelt down.

"Come on, little guy," I said. "Open up." I grabbed his teeth and pried. His mouth opened depressingly easily, but that was good. I put the syrup into his mouth. His body immediately heated, and he started licking the spoon weakly.

"There you go, little guy," I said, petting his fur, heart welling with emotions. "We’ll take a bath soon, okay? I’m going to check if any of these will help us. Okay?"

Kline meowed weakly.

I smiled and went back to the chest. There were four other bottles. One was a health recovery balm, another was an anti-toxin elixir and a soul recovery elixir—which was naturally terrifying just to hear about. I needed the antitoxin to cure the wisteris poisoning, which was relieving. But when I saw the last item, I broke into cold sweats.