Chapter 172: Plant-Type Monster 2
TL/Editor: Raei
Schedule: 5/Week Wed-Sun
Illustrations: Posted in discord.
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Acting rashly out of impatience can lead to losses.
It's not just a matter of financial loss or injury.
The Tower is a savage realm filled with sacrilegious monsters, unknown even to the Goddess of Life.
Being gravely injured is considered fortunate here, as most adventurers simply vanish without leaving a trace inside the Tower.
While food isn't a concept in the Tower, appetite is, turning monsters violent from starvation.
Undead plant monsters? Wait, if they have roots and feed on divine energy, they're not undead, right?"
"Yeah. We've given samples to the Magic Tower, so they might figure something out.
Irene, though desiring to return to the 35th floor immediately to aid those in danger, knows we can't rush things.
She quietly sets up her tent and starts organizing.
Her companions gather around her, trying to lighten the mood with chatter.
The conversation centers on the plant-type monster they encountered for the first time.
In this world, most monsters are vicious twists on animals, sparking much curiosity.
Even I havent seen many plant-type monsters.
Talking about monsters to cheer someone up might be odd, but its better than sitting in silence and brooding over negative thoughts.
Roland? Do plant-type monsters have any distinguishing features?
They do. But these creatures seem closer to undead than plant-type.
Han Se-ah, with her camera, interrupts our conversation and approaches to ask a question.
The rest of the party looks on, giving the impression of an interview.
Viewers of the top-ranked stream might expect to learn more knowledge about monsters, but sadly, the monsters on the 35th floor defy all norms.
Even the mages at the Magic Tower wouldnt believe in monsters that only consume divine energy if it weren't for evidence of it.
Typically, plant-type monsters camouflage and lie in wait, capturing unsuspecting animals.
They dont swarm like zombies upon sensing divine energy.
Most plant-type monsters are found in the dense jungles at the southernmost part of the kingdom. They camouflage and ambush passing animals. There are some that live in groups, but none that actively attack like those on the 35th floor.
Really? Hmm maybe we need to fight them more to learn more.
-Nah she's trying to mooch off us.
-Well, you're ranked first, so you have to learn through experience.
-But seriously, if we don't use divine energy, they don't even react, so they're pretty useless, right?
-Maybe all they have is their numbers.
-So, how about a troll bomb? Blowing them up with a bomb seems like a viable option.
Eyes filled with anticipation turned to disappointment, but what could be done?
If Han Se-ah's stream wasn't the top-ranked, I might have feigned knowledge through an internet search.
But now, she was the first to witness this as the top streamer.
Yet, my companions managed to lift their spirits by discussing the individual weakness of the creatures and their non-reactivity to anything other than divine energy.
Irene couldn't help but chuckle softly at their obvious efforts.
"Yes, thank you all. I'm planning to make a nice stew for dinner. Lets fill up and get an early nights rest for tomorrow."
"I'll get the ingredients from the inventory right now."
With a richer stew than usual, we filled our bellies and soon retired to our tents.
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Raei Translations
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The next day, thanks to Irene preparing soup early, Han Se-ah quickly had her breakfast upon reconnecting and then we headed for the 35th floor.
After detonating an approaching troll with a single arrow and taking care of Lizardman Skeletons emerging from the swamp, we faced the passageway to the 35th floor.
There, about a dozen adventurers were gathered, buzzing with conversation.
"...What is this?"
"This looks ominously eerie."
The passageway to the 35th floor was entwined with ashen vines.
The passage, usually a solitary stone doorway in an open field with mana visibly pulsating from within, was now overgrown with ashen vines, extending outwards.
Everyone hesitated, perhaps wary of what might happen if they crossed over recklessly.
After all, it was unlikely that all these adventurers were from the same party, and no one wanted to risk their lives for others.
"What should we do, Roland?"
"Let's wait here for 5 minutes... no, make it 10, just to be safe. Irene cant use her protective spells, so be prepared to use shield magic."
"Understood."
With my companions looking on worriedly and the other adventurers watching us as if we were mad, I entrusted myself to the passageway.
Despite the unnerving vines wrapped around its frame, the center remained clear, allowing unobstructed entry.
Han Se-ah's camera drone also joined me on the 35th floor.
Thankfully, I wasn't immediately attacked by the parasitic vines, so I had time to slowly survey the surroundings.
"The trees have grown incredibly in just one day..."
The first thing I noticed was the ashen trees and ashen-white vines, which densely obscured what was once an open view.
I remember there being hardly any trees near the passage, and more appearing as we approached the safe zone, but now their growth was undeniable.
It seemed the temple knights, priests, and nuns that had been captured were now devoured by these plants.
Facing trees that had seemingly grown overnight, I swung my war hammer at the closest one.
With a creaking sound, the ashen tree fell lifelessly, feeling like hitting a dead, withered tree.
The vines entwined around it also fell to the ground without resistance.
Do they not resist unless divine energy is used?
'What kind of quest is this? A time-attack quest to uproot them as they endlessly multiply?'
Even after I smashed the tree and crushed the vines, they didn't move.
I was tempted to raise my divine energy to test their reaction, but I had to wait for the rest of my party to arrive.
Instead, I tore at the vines wrapping around the passage we came through.
Since the vines extended from the 35th to the 34th floor, I thought pulling them out on the 35th might kill the ones on the 34th.
My theory seemed to be correct as my companions started to arrive less than ten minutes later.
"It hasn't been 10 minutes?"
"Suddenly, the vines around the passage withered and died. I thought you cleared the area, so I crossed over."
"Wow! Haven't these things increased drastically?"
"Definitely, they've multiplied a lot."
Han Se-ah, leading the way, and the rest of the party were startled to see the ashen trees that now densely populated the area.
A place that was barren yesterday had transformed into a forest today.
Katie, intrigued, drew her sword and started to prod the trees and vines, like a curious child poking at things with a stick.
"The trees seem ordinary. The vines, even though wrapped around the trees, don't seem to have visible roots... Maybe they wither so much upon dying that their tiny roots disappear?"
"Maybe if we gently pull them instead of killing them, we could find out if they have roots?"
As Han Se-ah joined in, eager to provide her viewers with some information, the vines were quickly chopped and dissected.
Examining the cross-section of the trees and crumbling the withered vines with their fingers, Irene and Grace also began to investigate.
Of course, all that probing and examining didn't yield any useful information.
-Are we just going to keep digging around here when we have a long way to go?
-Let's end Han Se-ah's touchy play here~
-Spends time with kids, and now she's acting like one.
-But shouldn't we be getting this information from the Magic Tower?
-No, lol. What can you find out just by touching?
After a while of aimlessly smashing trees and cutting vines, the viewers' patience reached its limit.
For reasons unknown Han Se-ah let out a small disappointed tsk.
"It doesn't look like we'll find anything useful by staying here. How about we head towards the safe zone and then trace back the origin of these vines?"
"That sounds like a good idea. There were a lot of trees in the safe zone yesterday, so we might find something today."
With that, Han Se-ah, like a child who had their toy taken away, grumbled a few words to the viewers and then brought up the idea to the party.
They all stood up, looking somewhat disappointed, to leave.
Hmm
Did they actually find that fun?
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