CHAPTER 114: VERDANT HUNT

The next morning dawned pale and misty, the faint glow of Genesis Embers pulsing through the Rootsite’s flora like a heartbeat.

Clayton stood at the outskirts of his domain, Regalia in spear form resting against his shoulder. His humanoid form was tense yet calm, eyes fixed on the horizon.

Today would not be about consolidation or leadership; it would be about arming his people, strengthening their ability to fight and survive.

He was no longer just an Awakened warrior.

Now, he was a Verdant Lord, a sovereign who ruled over a budding enclave.

He no longer worried just about himself. Now, he worried about his warriors, his friends, and the civilians who sought refuge in his territory.

This was why he resolved to arm his warriors today.

And it was why he had a conversation with them yesterday, consolidating their experiences and understanding of how the system worked.

Since becoming an Awakened warrior, Clayton already shored up on his previously lacking knowledge, learning most of all that needed to be learned about the system and the Genesis Protocols.

He learned about Genesis Embers, the 2 types. He learned about Behemorphs, and their Crowns. He learned about the Awakened ranking, and he also learned about Artifacts.

Clayton’s first Artifact, Regalia of the Verdant Warden was rewarded by the system after he completed his first trial, wiping out a full plant colony that attacked him back in Echoterra.

The Mythprint class Artifact was by far his most unique Artifact, made evident by the fact that it ranked up automatically after he became a Luminous Seed rank Awakened.

Just like his current rank, Regalia was also now a Luminous Seed ranked Artifact. It didn’t gain any new abilities or passive effects, but the efficacy of all its base abilities increased.

The other 2 Artifacts that he had, Shedskin, his armor, and Thornshade Dagger, he got one by killing himself, literally.

The other, he got after killing a random ambush Behemorph.

Clayton doubted that they currently had the resources to go to Verdis Hold and batter for appropriate Artifacts. Besides, the truly powerful Artifacts were never put in the market to be sold. Awakened warriors use them personally.

This was why, instead of searching for a market to buy a new bow for Veyra, Clayton pushed for another alternative... getting it themselves.

He pooled his knowledge base together with his friends, telling him the scenarios that enabled him to get all 3 of his Artifacts.

They also told them about theirs, Torren especially having a deeper knowledge about how the system worked and its Artifact reward mechanism worked.

Torren suggested it, and by pooling their experiences together, they arrived at a conclusion.

"The system Artifact reward mechanism has a pattern".

"Even if it’s not a verified pattern, at least, it has biases".

"Killing some Behemorphs have a higher chance of dropping a Verdant Artifact than other Behemorphs".

Torren nodded. "I think Null Crown Behemorphs have the lowest chance of dropping an Artifact, though they’re the most difficult to deal with".

Kaelin scoffed. "The system’s mechanisms are as messed up as usual".

It was not full proof, but at least, with that conversation, they had a plan.

Now...

Veyra approached, her boots crunching lightly against the mossy ground.

She’d been quiet since the decision was made, her Thornstriek bow long gone but her spirit unbroken.

Clayton caught her eye and offered a small, reassuring smile.

"Ready?" He asked simply.

She nodded, eyes glinting with determination. "Let’s find this Artifact".

Torren, Kaelin, and Soren joined them, geared and alert. As for the specific Behemorph that they were going for, they already decided on it yesterday.

Torren hefted his Pyreaxe with a grunt. "We’ve scouted rumors of Behemorph nests to the west," he explained, then he nodded in confirmation. "Yes, it’s there, an Emberveil Huntress. It might carry a bow-class Artifact".

"Don’t forget. It’s dangerous, fast, and territorial".

The team nodded.

Clayton’s Aphid Network pulsed in the background, scouting the area through insect eyes. "Then that’s where we go," he said firmly.

"We hunt the Huntress and take what we need".

...

Hours later, they moved through the outskirts of the Forgotten Atlanta Expanse, the ruined city giving way to tangled wilderness.

Vines crawled over crumbled highways, and shattered towers were now nesting grounds for mutated predators. Clayton’s senses stretched outward, feeling for the Emberveil Huntress.

Kaelin scouted ahead, cloaked in Ashveil, signaling back with quick gestures. "Tracks," he whispered. "Large. Agile. Heading toward a collapsed interchange".

Torren grinned grimly. "Perfect hunting grounds for an ambush".

They moved carefully, every step calculated.

Clayton’s network of insects scuttled ahead. After becoming a Luminous Seed Verdant Lord, with the evolution, Aphid Network also evolved. Clayton was no longer confined to just subordinating Behemorphs.

He went back to his roots.

Now, he could see through the eyes of insects skittering in his vicinity through Hive-Sight even without subordinating them.

They fed him fragmented glimpses of movement; a sleek, predatory shape darting through shadows, eyes glowing ember-orange.

The Emberveil Huntress was watching them even now. It had detected them already.

’F*ck’.

The ambush came suddenly.

From above, a blur of sinew and burning claws descended, snarling.

Clayton’s roots erupted defensively, catching a swipe meant for Veyra. Torren’s Pyreaxe flared with fire at the same time, hacking through the creature’s reach, while Kaelin reacted, striking from the flanks.

Veyra ducked low, rolling and snatching a discarded jagged metal shard, wielding it like a short blade.

Her movements were sharp and precise, even without a bow, her strikes distracting the Huntress long enough for Soren to slash its side with his Emberblade.

Clayton moved like a storm.

The Verdant Lord within him erupted; a surge of roots, vines, and tendrils that lashed outward, entangling the Huntress.

"Now!" he barked.

Torren’s Pyreaxe came down in a blazing arc, cleaving into the Behemorph’s chest.

GRRRR!

The creature roared, its Ember Crown flaring in defiance, but the combined onslaught overwhelmed it.

With a final, furious cry, the Emberveil Huntress collapsed, molten blood hissing against ruined concrete.

DING!

~----~

[Behemorph Slain: Emberveil Huntress]

[Rank: Luminous Seed]

[Crown: Ash]

[Genesis Embers Acquired: 185]

[You have received an Artifact!]

[Artifact Detected: Mythprint Bow-Class]

[...]

~----~

From the Huntress’s body, the system pulsed a radiant glow.

Clayton grinned as soon as he noticed the system notification. Perfect, just like Veyra calculated and they planned. He stepped forward and retrieved the bow Artifact.

It was a living construct of vine-wrapped bone, pulsing faintly with Ember energy. Its Luminous Seed aura washed over them like a tide.

Clayton silently admired the sleek contours of the bow.

Then he turned to Veyra, holding it out. "This belongs to you now".

Veyra took it reverently, testing its weight, her fingers tracing the notched string that hummed with dormant power.

She aimed experimentally, loosing a vine-tipped arrow into a nearby fallen tree. The arrow struck with explosive precision, embedding itself deep.

"Smooth," she muttered with a grin.

Torren let out a low whistle. "Looks like you’ve got your edge back".

Veyra smiled softly but fiercely. "Feels like coming home. Finally".

Clayton nodded in satisfaction, his gaze shifting back toward their Rootsite. "Good. Because we’ll need every advantage when we enter that vault".

As they made their way back through the wilds, the air was tense but hopeful. Veyra now armed, the team moved as one, ready to face the secrets buried beneath their growing dominion.

With each step, Clayton felt the weight of destiny pulling them closer to the truth hidden within the Nexus vault.

They didn’t rush the process after they arrived back at the Rootsite.

Instead of rushing it, Torren suggested a few hours of rest so they could all be in their peak state when they eventually explore the vault.

And so, Lorn decided to do the cooking today with some help from the first enclave civilians, while Veyra spent the whole time practicing with her new bow, mastering its abilities and passive effects.

Just like Regalia, this bow could create its own arrows, bone arrows with Genesis Embers supplied by the wielder.

But unlike Regalia that was a more versatile Artifact, the bow was a more specialized one. Its arrows hit harder and faster, and it had an ability to split arrows into multiple arrows, up to 10 and 20 depending on the amount of Genesis Embers expended by the user.

It also had another ability to take a chunk of Genesis Embers at once to deal devastating damage at once called ’Death Dealer’.

It was a pretty devastating bow.

It was an Artifact befitting of Veyra’s skills.

As she practiced, Clayton leaned on a column, watching her with a subtle smile on his face.

At some point, Veyra had to look at him. "What?"

Sam smiled wider. "Now that I think of it, you have more practical and theoretical knowledge with a bow and arrow and I’ve never asked you for tips".

He pursed his lips. "Let’s change that. Teach me".

Veyra was surprised. "Really?"

"Yes. Do I look like I’m joking?"

Sam switched Regalia to its bow form and joined her.

Torren watched them in silence, his eyes gleaming with a strange emotion... surprise? Suspicion?