CHAPTER 52: HERBS AND BUGS

After leaving the Emberfruit grove, we kept moving, following the stream deeper into the forest. The tension from the standoff with Victor’s group hadn’t completely faded, but we had other things to focus on.

Like the next item on our list—the Thunderhorn Beetle Carapace.

Wallace walked ahead, checking his notes. "These things like damp, rotting logs. They nest in clusters, usually near mana-rich soil."

Felix shuddered. "Right, but let’s not forget the important part—they explode."

Leo groaned. "Why do we keep picking up death traps?"

Mira smirked. "Because life is more fun when it’s trying to kill you."

Julien laughed. "I think that’s just you."

I ignored their banter and scanned the area. The forest here was thick, the air carrying the scent of damp earth and decaying wood. It was a perfect breeding ground for Thunderhorn Beetles.

Wallace suddenly stopped and pointed. "There."

A fallen log stretched across a patch of soft, mossy ground. At first glance, it looked like any other decaying tree—until I noticed the faint blue glow pulsing beneath the bark.

Julien whistled. "Yeah, that’s definitely a nest."

Felix took a step back. "And we’re sure this is worth it?"

Wallace adjusted his gloves. "Thunderhorn Beetle shells are tough and resistant to magic. Alchemists pay good money for them. Also..." He glanced at me. "This is on the list."

I nodded. "We need it. The question is how we’re getting it without getting blown up."

Mira crouched, watching the log. "They react to sudden movements and impact, right?"

Wallace nodded. "Yeah. If you hit one too hard, it releases a burst of stored mana. The bigger the beetle, the bigger the explosion."

Leo muttered, "Oh, great. Living explosives."

Julien grinned. "I’ll do it."

Felix stared at him. "Are you insane?"

Julien shrugged. "Probably. But I’m the fastest one here. I’ll grab a beetle, then book it before they go off."

I considered it. Risky, but not impossible. "Fine. But don’t get greedy. One shell is enough."

Julien stretched his arms. "Got it."

We spread out, keeping a safe distance as Julien crept toward the log. His steps were light, controlled. No sudden movements.

For a few seconds, nothing happened.

Then—A faint chittering sound.

The bark cracked as several beetles emerged from beneath the wood. Their dark, metallic shells shimmered with streaks of blue lightning. Their antennae twitched, sensing the air.

Julien didn’t hesitate. He moved in a blur, snatching one off the log. The beetle let out a high-pitched screech—

Then the nest erupted.

Bright blue flashes burst from the log as the remaining beetles detonated, sending chunks of wood and dirt flying.

Julien was already moving. He bolted toward us, the captured beetle clutched in his hand.

Julien skidded to a stop, panting. "Got it!"

The beetle twitched in his grip, its glow fading as it went still.

Wallace reached over, carefully prying it from Julien’s hand. "Nice. The shell’s intact."

Felix was pale. "You almost died for a bug."

Julien grinned. "Yeah, but look how cool it is."

I sighed, shaking my head. "Let’s move before something else finds us."

With the Thunderhorn Beetle Carapace secured, we decided to get the remaining items as quickly as possible.

We moved through the forest with urgency. The Thunderhorn Beetle nest had been risky enough, and I wasn’t keen on sticking around in case something followed the explosion.

Next on our list—the Bloodleaf Herb.

I already knew where to find it. In the game, Bloodleaf grew in places where the light barely reached, usually near old carcasses or dense undergrowth where predators made their kills. It thrived on decay, feeding on residual mana from dead creatures. Players who didn’t know better wasted hours searching near ruins or in open fields. I wasn’t about to make that mistake.

Out loud, I said, "We need to look for areas with limited light, preferably near dense foliage or anywhere larger beasts might have hunted. If we find an old carcass, we’ll find Bloodleaf."

Felix frowned. "Carcasses?"

I nodded. "It absorbs nutrients from decaying remains. The older the kill, the stronger the herb."

Leo wrinkled his nose. "And that’s supposed to help how?"

I ignored him and kept moving. The deeper we went, the thicker the canopy became. Sunlight barely pierced through the treetops, casting everything in muted shadows. The air grew heavier, carrying the scent of damp earth and something... metallic.

Julien sniffed the air. "Smells like blood."

Mira was the first to spot it. "There."

She pointed toward the base of a crooked tree, where a patch of reddish soil stood out among the darker ground. Scattered bones jutted from the earth, partially hidden beneath thick roots and undergrowth. And growing right beside them—dark red leaves, their veins pulsing faintly with a deep, almost unnatural glow.

Felix shivered. "Yeah, that looks cursed."

I crouched beside the plant. "Bloodleaf has reactive roots. If you pull too hard, they tighten and burrow deeper. A clean cut at the base is the only way to harvest it safely."

Mira knelt beside me, already drawing her dagger. "Let me."

She positioned her blade, angling it carefully before slicing in one smooth motion.

The Bloodleaf trembled, its roots twitching before going still.

Mira smirked, lifting it. "Easy."

Felix let out a breath. "For once, something didn’t try to kill us."

Julien nudged him. "Don’t jinx it you bastard."

I took the herb and stored it carefully. That was four down.

With the Bloodleaf Herb secured, we set our sights on the next item—Moonlit Mushrooms.

I knew where to find them. In the game, these mushrooms only grew in places where the moonlight could reach undisturbed. They absorbed ambient mana from the air, making them glow faintly in the dark. Players usually found them in open glades, near small streams, or at the edges of cliffs where trees didn’t block the sky.

I glanced up at the dense canopy overhead. "We need to find a clearing or an area where the moonlight isn’t obstructed. They won’t grow in thick forests like this."

Leo groaned. "So now we need to look for good lighting? This scavenger hunt is getting ridiculous."

Mira smirked. "Oh, come on. You don’t want to see glowing mushrooms?"

Felix raised his hand, "Um... Professor! The moonlit mushroom is supposed to be find in night right? Because it’s easily distinguishable at night. But how are we going to find it in the daytime?"

I nodded. "Good question. Normally, you’d wait until nightfall, but there’s a trick to finding them during the day."

Felix crossed his arms. "Please tell me it doesn’t involve anything exploding."

Julien chuckled. "What, you scared?"

Felix scowled. "I’d rather not have my grave say ’Died searching for mushrooms.’"

I ignored them and pointed to the ground. "Moonlit Mushrooms absorb ambient mana, which gives them their glow at night. During the day, the stems still retain traces of that energy. If you know what to look for, you can spot faint shimmer trails in the dirt where spores have spread."

Mira crouched, running a hand over the soil. "Like mana residue?"

"Exactly," I said. "It won’t be obvious, but in places where they grow in clusters, the ground should have a subtle sheen. We follow that, and we’ll find them."

Wallace adjusted his glasses. "That explains why most people struggle to find them. No one thinks to check the soil."

Leo groaned. "Great. More staring at dirt."

Despite his complaints, we spread out, scanning the ground for signs of the telltale shimmer. It took a few minutes, but Mira called out first.

"Found something."

We gathered around her. At first glance, the patch of dirt she pointed to looked ordinary. But as I knelt down and adjusted my angle, I saw it—a barely visible silvery glimmer, trailing toward the base of a large boulder.

"Bingo," I said. "They should be nearby."

We followed the faint trail, weaving through the undergrowth until the trees thinned, revealing a small clearing. Sunlight filtered through the gaps, illuminating the soft, damp earth.

And there they were.

Moonlit Mushrooms.

A cluster of pale, translucent caps sprouted near the roots of a fallen tree, their stems faintly pulsing with residual mana. Even in daylight, they had an ethereal glow, like tiny beacons waiting for nightfall.

I stepped forward, careful not to disturb the soil too much. "They’re fragile. If you pluck them wrong, the glow fades, and they lose their potency. Wallace, got a container?"

Wallace nodded and handed me a small glass jar lined with soft cloth. I used two fingers to gently twist the mushroom free from its base, keeping the roots intact before placing it inside.

One by one, we harvested a few more, making sure to leave some behind. Overharvesting would deplete the patch, and if there was one thing Sword of Radiance had taught me, it was that being greedy with rare resources never ended well.

Once we had enough, I sealed the jar and stood. "That’s five down."

Mira wiped her hands. "What’s next?"

I glanced at the list. Dragonfly Shells, that was our next target and it’s going to be a hard one.