The Branch Point
From the Village Chief's words refusing to provide any information about the forest, I realized it right away. 'It's a branching point.' This place was a branching point in the game. The one that would decide the difficulty of the Tower's 2nd floor. If we accepted their help, conquering the 2nd floor would be on easy mode. If not, it would ramp up to hard.
"We'd like to hear what kind of information and help the village can provide us."
Even if we didn't end up sowing our seeds to get the village's aid, it wouldn't hurt to know what they were offering. I wanted the specifics on the information they were talking about.
"We have a map of the forest. It marks all the safe zones in detail. It'll be essential for securing convenience and leeway while moving through."
The value of that map was huge. Starting with it already revealed was way better than wandering around to light up the minimap ourselves.
I had to nod in agreement that it was necessary, since I fully acknowledged how critically important it was.
"Is that all?"
"Of course not. That forest is special land. From the moment you enter, you'll suffer intense pain until you adapt."
Back on the 1st floor, eating those fruits to build immunity had been a real ordeal. From what the chief was saying, that forest demanded even more suffering for adaptation.
"Just entering makes your body break down on its own?"
You asked with just the right amount of tension in your voice. I figured showing a bit of fear would make the chief spill more details.
"Exactly. The healer should be fine, but the warrior's situation is different. Wouldn't it be better for everyone if you used the resistance potion we've made to pass through comfortably, instead of barely surviving the agony?"
Sleep with several of the women here and spread your seed, and they'd even provide a resistance potion to overcome the forest's endemic disease. It was a hard-to-refuse offer, no doubt.
"So, you're saying you'll give us the map and the resistance potion just for sowing our seed?"
"Of course, Player. And for your information, this isn't all the benefits we offer."
"What's else is there?"
As I asked tensely, the chief said proudly,
"Food supplies. We'll provide plenty of jerky for you to eat while crossing the forest. It's made with care, so no worries about quality."
Having food prepared in advance for the forest was great. If it was high-quality jerky, even better. It was valuable enough for the chief to shrug his shoulders smugly.
I looked at the chief and the villagers. He brimmed with confidence, knowing just how amazing the benefits they held were.
"Player, even with all this, you still won't sow your seed? I won't stop you if it's your conviction, but think it over carefully."
"I'm conflicted. Give us some time to think."
"Very well. Your seed looks especially appealing, so I'll give you a special day to decide."
"Thank you, Village Chief."
The chief didn't push and granted us time. I expressed my gratitude.
"Everyone, head back. It's not the day today."
At the chief's words, the villagers filed out in a group. The MILF who'd been standing in front of me stroked my cheek softly before leaving and whispered,
"I'll promise you a happy time, Player. Give us a chance."
Now the villagers were gone. Only Mom and I remained.
Mom quietly came to my side and sat right next to me.
"Son, what are we gonna do?"
I looked at Mom and asked back,
"What do you think we should do?"
"I think..."
Mom hesitated, waffling without answering right away.
I just stared silently, waiting for her response.
"Wouldn't it be better to cooperate with the village?"
"Why?"
"It makes things that much safer."
"So you're saying it's fine if I sleep with a bunch of women you don't even know? That's your stance?"
"Th-that's not what I meant."
I shook my head firmly.
"This is the Tower! It's not weird at all if, on some other floor, people show up offering to help us conquer it in exchange for sleeping with you. If that happens, what will you do, Mom? Will you offer your body willingly for our mother-son safety?"
"I-I..."
"Are we the kind of people who sell our bodies for safety? Is that what you think, Mom?"
"..."
"You can't even answer, so why tell me to do it? It pisses me off."
"Son, I'm sorry."
"Listen up, Mom. I'm not the kind of guy who sleeps with just anyone. Especially not in front of you. Got it now?"
"...Yeah. I get it, son."
"Now that you get it, don't say that stuff anymore. Don't even think it."
"Yeah, I won't. I'm really sorry, son."
I was boiling with anger, and this was the perfect chance to settle how we'd handle these issues, so I unleashed my rage on Mom. She couldn't retort at all and just apologized.
"Let's sleep now, Mom. This might be the last comfortable night in the 2nd floor."
I was certain comfortable beds were gone from here on in the Tower's 2nd floor.
'How dangerous will it get from now on?'
To buy even one more day of restful sleep, I'd requested thinking time. My heart was heavy knowing we'd have to enter the forest on hard mode, not easy.
* * *
Morning came, and the chief appeared with a delicious meal. He didn't serve the food first but asked,
"Have you made your choice?"
"What if I say I need more time?"
"Heh heh. You think I'm that easy, Player? Naturally, I'd refuse."
"Haah— Sorry. No matter how much I think, I can't bring myself to sow my seed."
"Your seed is awfully tempting, but if your conviction is that firm, no helping it. Now, please leave."
Mom and I were practically chased out of Land's End Village by the villagers' firm attitude. Still, they escorted us to the forest entrance, so we now faced the vast expanse we had to cross.
"Son, we have no map, no jerky, no medicine against the endemic disease. But Mom believes in you alone."
"This is the right choice, Mom. We made the correct decision."
"What do you mean?"
"To survive the Tower, you can't have weak thoughts of taking the easy way out. The will to overcome no matter what—that's the most important thing."
I emphasized the will to overcome to Mom. She seemed to like this side of me, sending hot, supportive eyes and gripping my hand tight.
"Let's go in."
"Yeah."
Mom and I entered the forest.
Welcome to the Cannibal Monkey Forest.
A notification appeared. At the same time, I was swept by a strange sensation.
"Mom, the air here's different. Hard to put into words, but it's weird anyway. Maybe this is the endemic disease the chief mentioned."
"I don't feel it, son. Probably because I'm the healer—my body resists it."
"Mom, help me out."
"Huh?"
Before "help" finished leaving my mouth, I grabbed the back of Mom's head with my right hand. With my left, I gripped her chin and pulled her face close. Mom's face was firmly fixed by me, unable to block my attempt at a kiss.
Mwah.Slurp.
Our mother-son lips met, and my tongue slipped into Mom's mouth, rubbing around everywhere. Mom's eyes widened in surprise, but once she understood it was for immunity, she normalized quickly and even moved her tongue in sync with mine.
Slurp.Slurp.
Mom and I kissed for quite a while. Honestly, we went longer than needed just because it felt good. Mom didn't know that, so I stayed bold.
Our long kiss finally ended. I licked the saliva from my lips and told Mom,
"My body's better now. We'll need to kiss like this periodically for a while, so keep that in mind."
"Got it. If it feels off, don't hesitate—just do it. Mom's fine anytime."
Mom smiled, saying it was okay given the situation. I looked at her and grabbed her robe, untying it.
"S-son?"
Mom blanked out again, just like before. I gazed at her cutely and lifted her leather bra upward. Her beautiful, large breasts jiggled into view.
"It's the forest with cannibal monkeys, right? Boosting vision and smell is essential."
"...Y-yeah, it is."
I pushed Mom against a tree. In that position, I fondled one breast with my hand while sucking the other with my mouth.
"Haaah. Aaah."
Gulp.Gulp.
Mom's body produced milk in the Tower. I drank from the right breast first, then sucked and swallowed the milk from the left one I'd kneaded by hand.
"Haa. Haa."
Gulp.Gulp.
Now my vision and smell were enhanced. I felt Mom's body heating up in the process, but I'd ignore that part.
"Let's head out now."
"...Huh? Oh, yeah."
I took Mom's hand—she had a dazed expression—and moved forward. With the minimap revealing as we went, we wouldn't get lost. We navigated the maze-like complex forest, lighting it up bit by bit.
Stop.
I halted and raised my hand. Mom sensed we needed to be quiet and crouched behind me.
I pointed to the 2 o'clock direction with my finger.