Chapter 250: First Experience in the Carnivorous Forest Secret Realm
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 250: First Experience in the Carnivorous Forest Secret Realm
The Witch Secret Realm Club was massive, with a large area dedicated to seating for those waiting. Although one could apply and queue for a Secret Realm via phone, many people clearly preferred to wait here in person or meet up with others.
I even saw independent Senior Sisters forming temporary teams on the spot.
The Witch Secret Realms didn't forbid multi-person exploration or trials, and naturally, a group would be more well-rounded. Because of this, one might encounter many other solo explorers or teams within a Secret Realm, especially the larger ones.
Whether here or inside a Secret Realm, students were strictly forbidden from killing one another.
The Secret Realms were entirely under the Academy's control; the clubs mainly handled the administration. After all, an entity like a Secret Realm was beyond the capabilities of anyone below the Transcendent level to manage, so the Academy had to intervene, though they didn't interfere directly.
Because of this, if anyone actually committed murder, the Academy could easily retrieve the details of the incident through Ley Line information retrieval.
The perpetrator would have to compensate the victim for resurrection and various other costs. If the victim decided to be difficult, it was perfectly normal for them to demand compensation for mental distress as well.
To handle this, the Witch Secret Realm Club had a professional team dedicated to adjudicating death liability. They had signed contracts ensuring they remained impartial; if there was ever any doubt, the club would even hold a public vote.
In short, the Witch Secret Realms were full of trials, opportunities, and death. As long as you had the skill, you could indeed reap massive rewards.
But it all depended heavily on luck.
Of course, there were other transactions involved, such as internal intelligence on specific valuable Secret Realms to avoid detours, or direct solutions to Secret Realm puzzles.
However, one look at the prices and I immediately gave up. I didn't have a clear goal right now and wasn't particularly desperate for anything, so there was no need to waste money like that. Besides, I was here for the trials themselves; I wanted to experience the process, not cheat my way through.
At this moment, the insights I gained during the process might be more valuable to me than the final reward of the Secret Realm.
"Hello, classmate. Are you planning to enter a Secret Realm?"
"Hmm? And you are?" I looked up at the Senior Sisters who had approached me, feeling a bit puzzled since I didn't recognize them.
"Oh, we were just wondering if you're interested in teaming up for a Secret Realm? If not, we won't bother you," the Senior Sister leading the pair said.
"I am interested, but I haven't decided where to go yet." I glanced around the area. "Also, a lot of people here look stronger than me. Why did you pick me?"
"You're joking, Senior Sister. Your Mana Source intensity is nearly a thousand, isn't it? We need a relatively strong companion. It's mostly just the two of us, and we're afraid we won't be able to look out for each other, so we decided to try our luck asking you."
"I see..." I instinctively looked at my Witch Cape. Could they not tell what I was wearing? Why were they calling me "Senior Sister" so readily?
"Which Secret Realm are you exploring? Just curious."
I was willing to join a temporary team; it would be much more efficient than fumbling around on my own.
"We're heading to the Carnivorous Forest, a Red Copper Secret Realm. It's an open-style Secret Realm with plenty of rare plant samples and seeds. The restrictions aren't too strict, and you're allowed to destroy the plants within the realm to a limited extent. Are you interested?"
"Carnivorous Forest? Plant samples? What are you going there for?" I asked curiously.
"Oh, this is my friend. Since you seem interested, let me introduce her. Her name is Sofiri. She's a Planter who loves cultivating strange plants, and she's an apothecary too!" The girl pulled the girl beside her forward to introduce her.
"Um, I'm not an apothecary yet. I only know how to concoct a few specific potions. Strictly speaking, I'm just a Planter..." The girl named Sofiri spoke up to correct her.
"Oh, it's all the same. If you can make potions, you're an apothecary. Anyway, I'm Cheng Yu, and I specialize in summoning spells. And you are...?"
"Just call me Moon," I said, using one character from my name. "And there's no need to call me Senior Sister; I might not be older than you. My specialty is Evocation magic."
"Eh? Evocation? That's a violent specialty. By the way, do you know any fire spells? Just make sure you don't start a massive forest fire in the Secret Realm, like Xiao Han did during the exchange competition."
"Uh... I'll be careful," I replied with a hint of embarrassment. "Besides, I know water spells too. I can put out fires."
"Oh, good. That's a relief. I was worried we'd get fined for burning down the forest. Our savings can't handle that kind of trouble," Cheng Yu said, letting out a sigh of relief.
"Alright. But you still haven't told me what you're actually doing in that Secret Realm."
"Oh, I forgot to say. I'm mainly accompanying Sofiri to collect plant samples and see if we can find seeds for rare plants or cuttings that can be transplanted. Those are the main outputs of the Carnivorous Forest."
"Of course, there might be cultivation techniques, notes, and so on left behind by Senior Sisters. We might even find potion recipes. Sofiri found a fragmented recipe in there before, and after she perfected it, it became a usable potion!"
"That impressive?" I looked at the slightly introverted Sofiri in surprise. Perfecting a recipe—even if it was through constant trial and error—showed incredible perseverance. If she had exceptional academic knowledge on top of that, it would be even more remarkable.
"No... actually, that recipe..."
"Alright, alright."
Cheng Yu interrupted Sofiri's explanation, clearly not wanting her to reveal too much. She took over the conversation again. "So, are you interested in coming with us? We'll definitely give you a share of the harvest. Even if you don't like the items, you can give them to us, and we'll compensate you with Transcendent materials at a discounted rate. How does that sound?"
"Okay."
I nodded and agreed. Although this was a bit different from what I had imagined, the cultivation techniques, notes, and recipes they mentioned were all skills originating from the Secret Realm. At the very least, I could transcribe a copy into my Memory Bookshelf spellbook to build up my foundation. Who knew when they might come in handy?
Most importantly, having someone to guide me through the Secret Realm process was an excellent opportunity.
Seeing me agree, they both immediately brightened up.
While the Carnivorous Forest wasn't extremely dangerous, it wasn't without risk. An apothecary and a summoner really struggled to hold their own. Having a high-damage Evocation mage would be fantastic.
Under their lead, we... finally got in line.
That's right, there was still a queue. There were quite a few people here, especially for an open Secret Realm with no limit on the number of participants.
However, we didn't have to wait long before it was our turn.
Naturally, everyone paid their own entry fee. But the entry threshold for this Secret Realm shocked me—it only cost me one Red Copper.
"What's wrong? You already paid, right?"
"I paid. It's only one Red Copper?" I asked, confused.
"Never seen one this cheap? Well, the two of us aren't that strong, so we don't dare go to high-level Secret Realms. Even though the entry fee is cheap, this realm has a limit on how often you can enter. Actually, most unrestricted public Secret Realms have frequency limits, but the Carnivorous Forest requires at least a month before you can enter again."
"At least? A month? That long? Is the time not fixed?" I asked again.
"You didn't know that either? It's indeed not fixed. The Witch Secret Realm Club adjusts the interval based on the conditions inside the realm, but it doesn't matter much. Let's go, let's head inside."
Cheng Yu explained it to me. People usually feel a sense of accomplishment when explaining things to others, so she seemed to enjoy talking to me.
I got the feeling she saw me as a powerful Senior Sister who usually looked down on such cheap Secret Realms...
It was a total misunderstanding, but I didn't correct her. It would save me a lot of unnecessary trouble.
The method of entry was via a teleportation array. After registering, we were guided to an open area with a solidified teleportation array, operated by club staff.
To exit the Secret Realm, one had to reach a specific teleportation point; you couldn't just leave whenever you wanted. This was why so many Senior Sisters who couldn't escape in time ended up dying inside.
However, if you were afraid of dying, you could spend more resources to buy a portable one-time alchemical teleportation array.
But those were very expensive—possibly worth more than the entire harvest from the Secret Realm.
As my vision blurred, a sensation completely different from entering a dream pod washed over me. A massive surge of energy enveloped us, and in an instant, we arrived somewhere else. The process was brief, but it still took a toll on the body, causing symptoms like dizziness.
"Moon, are you okay?"
"Yeah... I'm fine." I nodded, forcing down the discomfort.
Then, I was stunned by the scenery before me. Although we were at the teleportation site and the surrounding area had clearly been cleared, I could still feel the primeval forest atmosphere deeper in.
Strange plants and towering trees blotted out the sky, and the incessant buzzing of insects filled the air.
"I didn't expect you to be the type to get teleportation sickness. It's okay, though. Let's rest here for a bit. We need to apply some potions first. There are a lot of insects and venomous bugs here; the potions will save us a lot of trouble."
"Thanks."
I took the potion Cheng Yu handed me. It was a common long, thin test tube with a wooden cork, labeled with the handwritten words "Insect Repellent Potion." It seemed Sofiri had brewed this herself.
For repelling insects? Potions really were convenient. It almost made me want to learn potion-making myself.
However, compared to potion-making, I felt Alchemy was a better choice.
After all, an apothecary was just a profession derived from the Medicine Stone Alchemy branch.
A Medicine Stone Alchemist studied recipes and could concoct potions, whereas an apothecary simply followed recipes to mix them.
If I had to choose between Medicine Stone Alchemy and being an apothecary, I would definitely choose the former.
Though it might be a bit ambitious, who doesn't have a little ambition at the start?
I opened the potion, and a fragrant blend of plant scents wafted out. Although the liquid looked a bit cloudy, there were no visible particles. Such things were easy to filter out, and Sofiri wouldn't be so careless with potions she used herself.
I applied some of the potion to my limbs. However, with my proficiency in protection spells, I could have easily applied a close-range protective layer directly to my body.
At that moment, Cheng Yu waved her hand, and a summoning spell appeared. A massive figure manifested beside her.
It was a giant bear. I could tell at a glance that this wasn't a spell effect but a contract summon. This was a real, living giant bear, perhaps raised at her home or living in some other world or space.
Judging by the rock-like exoskeleton on its back, the bear could likely manipulate the earth element. Its physical strength was also terrifying; even on all fours, it was much taller than me.
"This big guy is our partner. His name is Yanyan. He's not a magical construct, and his strength is nothing to sneeze at," Cheng Yu introduced with a smile.
"Is that so? It's an honor..." I gripped my wand and habitually cast a protection spell on myself. "So, should we get moving?"
"Wait a second. Let's check the map and see where we explored last month. Marking our path will save us a lot of detours."
Cheng Yu's eyes lit up when she saw me use a protection spell, but the look quickly faded. While protection spells were good, they had many limitations, and she wasn't sure if I could cast it on others. It was better to focus on her own tasks.
I watched as they pulled out their phones and opened a map filled with markers. It looked like they had been here many times.
I was surprised that phones still worked here!
However, when I checked mine, I found I couldn't connect to the Academy Network. Okay... so it was offline mode. They must have downloaded a strategy guide and prepared the map in advance.
I leaned in to look as well. Since we were a team now, I needed to understand the situation and our destination.
From what I could see, the so-called Carnivorous Forest was vast. The entire Secret Realm was covered in trees with very few prominent landmarks.
Seeing me lean in, Cheng Yu didn't stop me. She even began explaining the general situation.
The Carnivorous Forest was divided into regions based on the characteristic plants of each area.
The map also marked the locations of other teleportation arrays, making it easy to find the nearest one when it was time to leave.
"The last place we explored was the Giant Erosion Thorn Vine area. This time, our goal is to pass through the vines, collect some samples and seeds, and then head over here. This is where the Dark Thorn Vine Grass grows."
"I see... and where do you find those notes, skills, and recipes you mentioned?" I asked curiously.
"Those are usually hidden in special places. It depends on the personality of the Senior Sister who left the Secret Realm behind. The one who left the Carnivorous Forest liked to hide things in bottles inside fierce plants. We found one last time after Yanyan knocked over a plant that looked like a man-eating tree."
"I see."
I nodded. That seemed reasonable. It looked like I'd have to search very carefully whenever I entered other Secret Realms.
Otherwise, heaven only knew what kind of abstract methods those Senior Sisters would use to hide their legacies.
"Also, we need to be careful. This is the Carnivorous Forest, after all. Many of the fierce entities here aren't animals or venomous bugs, but the plants themselves. They really do eat people. You especially have to watch out for their digestive, corrosive juices," Cheng Yu kindly explained.
"Mm, thanks for the warning. I have protection spells, so I'm not too worried. Do you want me to cast them on you? Just a heads-up: if I use full-coverage protection, your own attacks might be blocked too. But since you use summoning spells, it should be fine."
"Really? Then... we'd be honored. Please, go ahead," Cheng Yu said excitedly.
"Um... I throw potions to assist in combat. Can I have something other than full protection?"
"Of course, but then you'll have to be more careful." I had no problem with that. I was here to gain experience, not to lead the team.
However, I did need to demonstrate some of my own skills and value.
I didn't have the same long-standing relationship they had; there was a natural distance between us. I needed to prove that being with me was valuable. After all, nobody likes a dead weight.
"It's fine, I have plenty of tricks up my sleeve." Sofiri had already put on her gear. Her outfit had many slots, all filled with potion bottles. A quick glance revealed nearly ten different types!
This wasn't just fighting; this was throwing money away.
"Um... is something wrong? Miss Moon, why are you looking at me like that?" Sofiri asked, feeling a bit self-conscious under my gaze.
"Oh, I just noticed you have so many potions. Is that how you fight?"
"Yes. This is a corrosive potion, this is a wither potion... they're very effective against the aggressive plants here..."
"Wait, that's not what I meant. I meant that you're... really quite wealthy," I said quickly.
"Oh, since I can brew them myself, I can make some extra money on the side. Besides... the cost of these offensive potions isn't actually that high, otherwise I wouldn't use them as my regular means of attack. Miss Moon, I have plenty more. Do you need some for self-defense? Consider it a return for the protection you're giving us."
"Oh, no thanks. I still prefer spells; they're more natural for me. Since everyone's ready, let's go."
"Yeah, it's time to head out. The sooner we go, the sooner we get back," Cheng Yu added. "Anyway, Yanyan and I will lead the way."
"I'll take the rear."
I nodded. With the apothecary Sofiri protected in the middle, and me being the strongest—at least on the surface—it made sense for me to be at the back to oversee the situation, provide support, and cover our retreat.