CHAPTER 443: CHAPTER 443: GOOD JOB, BABY, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT COUNTS TOO

The mountain air was cool and damp, brushing against Isabella’s skin like soft mist. She crouched beside the phoenix man, eyeing him suspiciously like she was debating whether to move a sleeping lion or leave him to rot in peace.

"Alright," she muttered, rolling up her sleeves. "Let’s just get this over with. What’s the worst that could happen?"

Bubu’s glowing form hovered silently beside her, an unhelpful blue presence in the corner of her vision. Glimora sat on Isabella’s shoulder, nibbling her hair nervously — a small white puff of fur with big curious eyes that made everything feel a little less horrible.

Isabella stretched her arms, cracked her knuckles like a pro wrestler, and crouched lower, muttering under her breath. "Okay, one... two... three!"

She grabbed the man by his arm — or at least tried to, because his arm was so broad she couldn’t even wrap her hands around it properly. With a grunt, she leaned back and pulled—

—only to nearly fall flat on her butt because he slid across the grass like he weighed nothing.

"Wait... what?" Isabella blinked. She tugged again. He moved. Effortlessly.

Her jaw dropped. "No way. Oh my god, no way."

Glimora squeaked loudly, bouncing on her shoulder as if cheering. Isabella giggled — actually giggled — and started dragging him properly this time. "This is amazing! I’m— I’m strong! Look at me!"

Bubu said nothing, its faintly glowing screen tilted just enough to suggest it was enjoying the show.

"Oh, don’t you dare," Isabella warned, glaring at it between pants. "Don’t you dare smile at me like that."

"I am not smiling," Bubu said serenely.

"You’re definitely smiling."

"I do not have a mouth."

"You’re smiling with your— your pixels or whatever! You’ve got that smug digital aura. I can feel it!"

"Your imagination is improving."

"Don’t sass me," Isabella snapped, dragging the phoenix man a few more feet uphill. "You’re just jealous because I’m the muscle here."

"I do not possess muscles."

"Exactly! That’s why you’re jealous."

Glimora puffed up proudly on her shoulder, letting out a victorious "mrrp!" like she was Isabella’s tiny hype-woman.

"That’s right, baby," Isabella said between breaths. "Mama’s strong now. Who needs men when you’ve got Mountain Patch Power™?"

Bubu blinked. "Trademark not registered."

"Shut up, I’m manifesting confidence."

And she was. The patch was still active, making her veins hum and her muscles buzz with energy. It felt almost euphoric — like caffeine, adrenaline, and bad decisions rolled into one. She dragged the phoenix man easily over grass, stones, and roots, humming a victory tune under her breath.

The sky above them shimmered with faint gold where sunlight filtered through the mist. The map projection hovered before her eyes, glowing faintly as it guided her up the sloping mountain path toward the waterfall cave.

She kept walking, dragging, pulling. Glimora occasionally hopped off her shoulder to push at the man’s leg with her tiny paws, which accomplished absolutely nothing, but Isabella praised her anyway. "Good job, baby, emotional support counts too."

"Mrrp!" Glimora chirped proudly, tail wagging.

For a moment, Isabella almost forgot she was doing manual labor. She smiled faintly, her hair sticking to her neck, the mountain breeze brushing past. "See, Bubu? Look at me thriving. No tears. No breakdown. Just pure boss energy."

Bubu’s silence was deafening.

"...Why are you quiet?" Isabella asked suspiciously.

"Just observing."

"Observing what?"

"Your inevitable decline."

"What does that even— wait, what?"

"Nothing."

"Oh my god, you are plotting something."

"I am incapable of plotting."

"Yeah, sure, and I’m incapable of overreacting."

"That is incorrect."

"BUBU!"

Glimora squeaked at her tone, clinging tighter to her neck fur. Isabella sighed and patted her. "Sorry, baby. It’s not you, it’s this floating menace."

"Thank you," Bubu said politely.

"That wasn’t a compliment."

Still, she kept moving. Her steps crunched softly against gravel, the air thick with the scent of pine and damp moss. The map shimmered, showing a glowing trail winding toward the waterfall cave. She was making progress. Fast progress.

Until she wasn’t.

Halfway up a steeper incline, Isabella felt the man’s weight shift. He dragged heavier. Her hands slipped slightly.

"Hmm?" She adjusted her grip, tugging harder. "Weird."

Another step. He grew heavier again — like gravity had suddenly doubled its effort.

"Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no, no." Isabella stopped mid-pull, eyes wide. "You’ve got to be kidding me."

Her arms trembled as she yanked at him again. He didn’t budge. "Why are you heavy now?! You weren’t this heavy five seconds ago!"

Glimora whimpered, scampering up onto Isabella’s head for safety.

"Don’t look at me like that!" Isabella said, panting. "I didn’t break him! He’s just—he’s doing this on purpose!"

"He is unconscious," Bubu noted.

"Yeah, well, so are most people who ruin my life!"

Bubu’s light pulsed faintly. "You are reaching the time limit of the Mountain Patch enhancement."

"What?" Isabella froze. "Wait, no, it hasn’t been thirty minutes yet!"

"Twenty-eight minutes, thirty-nine seconds."

"Oh my god, Bubu, you’re supposed to round down!"

"Rounding down is inaccurate."

"Rounding down is merciful!"

The weight on her arms doubled again, her muscles starting to burn. The man’s golden feathers glinted in the light as she tried to drag him another few inches, sweat dripping down her face.

"Ugh, come on, big guy, work with me here!" she grunted. "You’re supposed to be a phoenix, not a damn mountain rock!"

Bubu hummed. "Perhaps both."

"Stop helping!"

Glimora hopped off her shoulder, running ahead toward the faint shimmer of water visible in the distance. She squeaked excitedly, spinning in circles like she could already smell the pond.

"Glimora, baby, wait! Don’t leave mama behind!" Isabella called after her, voice cracking from exhaustion. Her legs shook as she hauled the phoenix another step, her back screaming.

"Twenty-nine minutes, twenty seconds," Bubu said calmly.

"Oh, you’re counting now? You really enjoy my suffering, don’t you?"

"I find it instructive."

"I find you punchable!"

The system ignored her.

By the time the thirty-minute mark hit, Isabella’s arms gave out. The patch’s energy fizzled out in a faint golden shimmer, leaving her body feeling like jelly. The phoenix man slammed against the ground with a dull thud, and Isabella fell right beside him, gasping for air.

"I..." she wheezed, clutching her chest. "...hate my life."

Glimora came running back, climbing onto her chest and chirping worriedly. The little white creature nudged her cheek with its head, cooing softly.

"I’m fine, baby," Isabella said weakly, stroking her fur. "Just... mildly dying."

Her throat felt dry, her vision blurry. With a groan, she reached for her water pouch and pulled it from her space. The pouch shimmered faintly. It never ran out of water, which made it the love of her life right now.

She uncorked it and drank greedily, gulping mouthful after mouthful until her stomach hurt. The cool water spilled down her chin, and she didn’t even care.

"Oh my god, that’s heaven," she gasped, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Actual heaven."

Bubu floated silently above her, its screen faintly glowing.

For a long moment, she just lay there, breathing hard, Glimora curled on her stomach, purring like a cat. The forest was quiet again — no wind, no sound, just her ragged breathing.

Slowly, Isabella lowered the pouch from her lips, her glare cutting upward toward the glowing blue cube hovering in smug silence.

Her voice came out hoarse but deadly calm.

"...So that is why you were smiling."