Mana Grass (3)

Orion Building basement. The light leaking from a single monitor illuminated the surroundings.

"You sure about that?"

Two men stared at the monitor with dark expressions.

"Y-yes, sir. Really. Something's off with this, Deputy Choi. Let me run it again."

The responding man typed something into the screen. But for some reason, it was filled only with red 'Error' text.

"Look at this. Can't tell who, but bugs keep popping up around a specific player."

"...For real?"

Deputy Choi adjusted his glasses and peered at the monitor. Everything else was running fine, but errors persisted in one specific sector.

"Tch... What the hell is this? We ever have bugs like that?"

"No way. We checked for bugs multiple times before launch."

"Know what kind of bug it is?"

"Not yet, exact details unknown. But confirmed: one player is the main trigger."

The pudgy man continued.

"Specific codes are reacting around this player."

"So bugs are spawning from this guy?"

"...Pretty much."

"What kind of bullshit bug is this!"

Deputy Choi clutched his head and turned away, sighing deeply.

"Haa........."

The failed original plan had everyone on edge, and Damian's escape made the company atmosphere toxic. Bugs now? He might take the full blame.

"Hey, Assistant Kim. No one else knows yet, right?"

"Of course. Reported to you first, Deputy Choi."

"Good. Listen ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up, Kim. What happens if this gets to the higher-ups?"

"Uh... Chaos?"

"Chaos? We're all fucked. We're finally settling in here. Wanna end it like this?"

Deputy Choi's face was grave. Assistant Kim got the implication.

"......Cover it up?"

"Obviously. We don't know the exact cause or details yet, right? Focus on assessing first. Not ignoring it—just buying time for a proper report."

"R-right. No need to report if it's like this."

"Exactly, man."

Deputy Choi patted Assistant Kim's shoulder and eyed the monitor.

'Fuck, who the hell is it? Bugs shouldn't be a big deal...'

His worries grew with the bug outbreak.

"Whoa, Deputy Choi? New bug just popped up."

Unknown code flooded the screen.

* * *

Messages poured in after handling the spirit tree. Massive EXP led to six level-ups, plus a raw gemstone as a bonus.

'Back to its original form.'

The spirit tree crumbled to ash and vanished, a massive tree emerging in its place like a mirage. Just like the original story. In the game, defeating the spirit tree restored it too.

This giant tree was a key resource in the swamp. I had no intention of destroying it for my goals—it'd help me plenty later.

'Anyway.'

Still things to handle. Confirm details from Jeanne and Baken's memories, Descartes' subordinates. His current status. How ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he learned about this place.

'He's moving differently from canon.'

Originally, Descartes wouldn't care here. How'd he find out?

Thud. Thud.

I navigated the hole-pocked ground from the spirit tree's attacks. Their corpses weren't intact either—massive craters from root strikes.

Swoosh.

Two swords on the ground. Jeanne's dual blades.

I picked one up.

Dual curved swords. Broadly curved blades with saw-like edges. Thrust in, then extra damage pulling out.

'Hence the Bleeding option.'

Accelerates bleeding. Drag it out, and bleeding alone could kill. Plus, Rare grade 2nd tier. Perfect one-handed sword replacement.

Now, probe Descartes via Weapon's Memory.

* * *

Memories flooded from Jeanne's curved sword. It was lab-made too. No wonder the saw edge felt off...

They ran all sorts of experiments. Crafting weapons, injecting player powers into monsters and humans. Against Orion protocol—only Orion labs did player experiments.

Descartes was rebelling internally. Timing off from canon too.

-Is what the Orion execs said true?

Time skipped to Jeanne and Descartes talking. Pomaded black hair. Black staff. Refined midlife look.

-Yeah? I heard it clear. Execs said these guys aren't ours.

-Huh, their accents changed lately... Explains the weird shit happening.

Descartes sniffed out the devs. Canon had him betraying Orion later, building his force. But now, huge change: he knew about players.

-Fetch those 'users' quick. Anyone. Even if you have to hunt.

Soon, they captured a 'user' character.

'...Summoner class variant.'

Blond noble look. Divine Spirit Summoner from Divine Guard lore.

-U-ugh... P-please... spare me...

Terrified. Not like me—without drugs, I'd be the same.

-Don't fear. Won't hurt a bit.

Black smoke rose as Descartes touched the summoner's head. I guessed it: absorbing memories with his power.

'That's how he learned the giant tree's secret.'

Why Jeanne and Baken came. What they ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sought from the tree. All clear. Probably eyed my raw gemstone.

'Giant tree's raw gemstone' stored mana and altered properties.

Then they headed to the swamp, met me. Tricky now. Descartes knew player secrets. Good thing recent discovery...

'Gotta stop him fast.'

Memory ended.

Then—

Weapon's Memory new feature. Reviewing Jeanne's memories boosted curved dual-sword understanding. Faint recall of her techniques—how she used them, how to replicate. Test later.

* * *

A day later. Swamp village air heavy. Near-replay of decades-old incident.

People still raged at Jerard.

"That guy's behind it again!"

"Chief Kepa! You just gonna sit? Too dangerous! Do something!"

"Right! Can't let that family stay!"

But Jerard's expression differed. He knew the truth via me.

"Grandpa Kepa. As I said, I have words for you."

"No. Nothing from you."

"Hmm. You should hear, Grandpa? Huge secret hidden. Learn it, you'll apologize for everything to Jerard. Refusing 'cause you hate that? Nah?"

"Wh-what nonsense! Why would I!"

"Eh, suit yourself."

April seemed frustrated too. Nailed Kepa instead, urging him to listen—his face flushed.

She says what she wants. I like it.

Not my roundabout style either.

"What tricks are you...!"

"Grandpa. You called my grandpa a fool before? Always came back wounded from jobs. First wound: day he planted the giant tree."

"Wh-what?"

Straight facts might not convince. Had Jerard share private details first.

"What’s this kid saying?"

"Chief! Keep listening? Ridiculous—"

Villagers disbelieved as expected. But.

"You... Where'd you hear that?"

Chief's eyes widened.

Perfect for my assist.

"May not believe, but I read weapons' memories. Confirmed via Jerard's grandpa's logging axe."

Unlike dismissive villagers, Chief listened without interrupting. Jerard spilled all I'd relayed: village history, their bond, deepening conflict.

"But you're wrong about that day's incident."

"......"

"My grandpa didn't betray the village!"

"...Then."

"He sacrificed himself to move the giant tree. It attacked orcs, not us!"

Chief's eyes shook. He'd probably suspected—visited the tree recently.

'Madder at Osman's 'betrayal.' Didn't correct village misunderstanding to protect the tree.'

Truths emerging via Jerard.

"Saw yesterday, right? Tree absorbed orc blood, changed form, moved. Grandpa fed it his blood to move—for village defense."

"...My god."

"Th-that all true? Reliable?"

"Dunno... But Chief's reaction..."

Villagers murmured at Jerard's words. If true, they'd wronged big.

"We... tormented Osman's family unknowing..."

"......"

Grasping reality, their gazes toward Jerard softened.

"What have I done..."

Chief collapsed, legs weak. Stared at Jerard, lips tight.

"......Sorry. I was the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fool. Knew Osman better than anyone—wouldn't do that."

Jerard approached.

"Glad misunderstanding cleared, even now."

"......Sorry's all I got. What we did to you."

Chief bowed, head low.

Misunderstanding resolved. Now, confirm with Chief.

'Private talk best.'

He'd hide the mana grass from the tree. Quietly pulled him aside.

"Memories showed you took mana grass. Need it."

"...You know that too? Must be real. Fine. Thanks to you, misunderstanding cleared. Uneasy keeping it anyway. Wait."

Chief accepted readily. Rare mana grass—worried about explaining origin later.

Soon, back from his mansion, bundle in hand.

"Here."

Handed it over. Inside: the mana grass I sought.

A Legendary-grade mana grass.