GLITCH

A Living Forest 2

"W-what...what do you want?"

"Nothing? I just want to bargain. You know, a peddler loooooooove to do some bargain...kuku..."

"I... I curse you and the next three generations of you—"

"Saaaaave your breath, plant. Just hush nowwww...and drink this."

The man dressed in a sequined dress, and a rather apologetic way of applying makeup, forcefully made the Dryad drink a potion, orange in color, and laugh maniacally as he dropped the bottle and walks away.

•••

DRYAD'S FOREST

9:01 AM

"Sis."

"I know. Something's going on, and it's not a good thing."

It's like the forest itself has changed. The atmosphere became grimmer, the trees started to develop some swollen rotten parts of flesh, something that a plant shouldn't have. The animals inhabiting the forest run away as if something or someone is hunting them. The Glitches, who seemed to be friendly of sorts became hostile all of a sudden and started attacking us from all directions.

"Run towards the deepest part of the forest, now!"

I evaded a slamming attack coming from a Treant. It created a loud thud, and the area where the attack landed spawns some kind of orange gas.

Orange? Why orange?

I looked at the Treant while running and used [Soul Read], without reading the level. I don't have the concept of leveling up, so why bother looking for theirs?

Treant Guard

HP: 45 000 / 45 000 MP: 56 000 / 56 000

Status Condition:

[PRESSURED]

- the creature has been suffering from a man-made concoction

Huh? A man-made what? I can't believe some kind of guy would do this.

"Sheesh. This isn't good. They're kinda manipulated or infected or whatever it is! Sis!"

"We can't save them..."

"What?"

"We can't save them if we'll focus on them. If my assumption is correct, everything here is connected to the Dryad. Something must have happened to her. Let's hurry."

"I'm just behind ya!"

And yet, for the first time in my entire life, that I'll suffer an untimely demise.