Serpents in the Canopy
Only nature existed here. In such a place, even using toilet paper, toothbrushes, or detergents was truly a luxury.
“Efficient.”
“Still, how could anyone live on just that? There’s plenty of snacks packed in there too. Plenty of folks waiting just for those.”
“Brother, hearing the word ‘snacks’ brings back old memories. The nun who raised me was a white-haired elder, and she always called treats ‘snacks’ when she gave them to me.”
“...Are you teasing me about the generation gap right now?”
“Heavens, no. It simply evoked a fond memory from my youth—nothing more.”
Taylor threw a few punches at the air in Shiba’s direction before plopping down next to Allen.
“Teasing your elders like a rude punk.”
“Good to see you two getting along.”
“Getting along? Anyway, this wagon. As long as you avoid the rough terrain of the primordial forest, it’s decent enough... no, it won’t cut it. Complex spots like valleys or swamps will be impossible to navigate.”
“Valleys or swamps?”
“Yeah, you’ve got it. Since it’s our first time, let’s steer clear of those.”
“Like this?”
Allen stood alone on the wagon and fiddled with the underside. The wheels lifted about 20 cm off the ground. Taylor flinched and grabbed the side.
“I layered [Float] runes on it. Now we can go anywhere, even without a path.”
“Mana consumption must be... nah, you can handle it. Makes sense—floating wagons work the same way, and anyone heading into the primordial forest can afford the cost.”
Even when Taylor pushed down on the wagon with his body weight, the wheels never fully touched the ground.
“This’ll do nicely. So that’s why you made the crate’s wheels into continuous tracks too?”
“No, I just saw a tank on TV and copied it.”
“Knew it.”
As they chatted, Allen sensed someone watching him. He glanced around and spotted Sion, who had just stepped out of a newly arrived air vehicle, staring intently their way.
Her clear gray eyes seemed to pierce right through him. When Allen gave a small wave, she finally closed her eyes and turned away.
Then a grumpy voice grumbled from beside him.
“What, she’s here too?”
“Got a problem with that?”
“Those Breaker types are troublemakers.”
“Pardon?”
Allen asked again, wondering if he’d misheard.
“Not like that—kids who go around hunting for problems.”
“Ah...”
Breaker agents were made up of especially combat-strong individuals. Where would they deploy such people? Mostly for secret missions or conflict resolution.
Allen absentmindedly glanced back and forth between Sion and Taylor, who bristled.
“What? It’s them and you who are weird. I’m the normal one here.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Should’ve joined the next supply run. Getting dragged into some weird fight on the way down would be a hassle.”
“They’ll tag along with the supply convoy anyway. Breaker handles their own business.”
“Fair point.”
Sion stood still with her eyes closed, occasionally turning her head as if she could see everything around her.
Taylor, watching closely, muttered,
“She’s got a real concept obsession going on.”
Just as Allen opened his mouth to reply, a manager with ram horns approached.
“Hey, newbies. We hired you last-minute after some dropouts, so shape up. Our two registered explorers and one shrine priest should be plenty capable. Just block the monsters from the wagons and don’t pull any funny business. Stick to that, and we won’t touch you.”
The manager left after that, though he kept glancing back at the wagons—meticulous type.
“Big corp caravan really has some leeway, huh.”
Shiba pulled out a hip flask. Allen knew it was booze but asked anyway, curious what he’d say.
“What’s in the flask?”
“It’s called the water of life—clear stuff. Think of it as preemptive priming. When your liver gets stimulated by external substances, your body senses the threat and tenses up naturally.”
“Or you just bow your head in prayer and come up with excuses like that?”
“Brother Taylor, it’s troubling if you keep slandering me like this.”
Time flew as they talked, and soon it was time to depart. Breaker’s signature emblem—shattered glass stylized—dotted the area, so the explorers started giving it a wide berth.
Having entered the labyrinth in the second queue, they got in fast. A whole hour quicker than usual.
“How’s it feel?”
“Let’s rack up results this time and update our explorer IDs. Settlement works at the base too, right?”
“They lowball you a bit, but you can’t lug unprocessed stuff around forever. Hunting’ll naturally update your depth rank anyway.”
Automatons popping from the maze didn’t slow the convoy a step. They disassembled on approach, donating their mana stones.
The caves were the same. When underground dwellers popped out, a few peeled off to handle them, then rejoined at a brisk pace.
Allen’s party didn’t even need to lift a finger.
“Convenient, but feels off somehow.”
“It’s a big corp. What’s your deal?”
Taylor eyed Shiba, who sat on the wagon in a thinker’s pose before speaking.
“Is this a big corp? I joined Brother Allen’s party expecting hardship...”
“What, planning to jump ship?”
“Not now, but if Brother Taylor keeps pushing...”
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t worry about serving me... I mean, snap out of it. Stay or go, your call.”
“Without me, you’d need way more healing potions. More trips to Western Sky...”
“Hey now, what do you take me for?”
The palace on cave layer 20 was no different. Endless automatons swarmed, but plenty of explorers handled them. They cleared methodically and soon reached the grand hall.
This time, Sion stepped forward. She strode down the central passage between thick stone pillars, and waiting guards advanced with automatons in tow.
As Allen anticipated her move, the automatons and guards suddenly flailed like they’d lost their sight.
Whoosh!
Mana waves in the whistle blast hammered everywhere before returning to Sion.
As the whistle echoed, her form blurred. Flashing blade edges marked her path as automatons cleaved apart.
The upper halves of diagonally sliced automatons slid slowly; the first one’s torso thudded down.
Sion’s lightly gripped sword pierced the powersuit’s visor, turning it into the guard’s coffin.
She flicked the blade free, wrapped it in mana, and swung down, scattering foreign matter from the edge onto the floor.
Sion headed into the primordial forest alone, while Breaker explorers stepped over the red flower pattern on the ground to prep for rest.
Allen replayed the scene.
“Not just a gimmick. I felt some strange mana effect.”
“Skill from after I quit? Or kept secret.”
“Read somewhere no one knows their real names or roles, but seeing her take out the guards up front... rumor busted.”
Taylor shrugged at Allen’s curiosity-sparkled eyes.
“I don’t know everything either... Come to think, why’d they transfer me there? Ah, that part was good.”
“What?”
“Getting company-funded artificial eyes and brain expanders when they first came out. Must’ve been right after I started... over 40 years ago already. Magicware wasn’t mainstream back then.”
“Why take the plunge?”
“Told you before.”
“Talent limits?”
“You remember. So instead of grinding training, I sought alternatives. They covered side effects too—no hesitation. Figured I took risks for the company, so they kept upgrading me with new products. Now I pay my own way, though.”
Allen nodded and called the crate nearby. It fetched a new mechanical arm from the wagon and fitted it to his back.
“That arm that kept fidgeting? Huh, it’s moving.”
“Powersuit needs time to perfect. Operating arm parts separately hurt my real arms, so I upgraded.”
The gear, with countless joints and synthetic muscles, evoked an octopus tentacle.
“No independent system, but it follows my intent perfectly. Four arms make work easier.”
“Controlling that alone would be a job for most.”
“And...”
Grass rose to their knees before they knew it. Night had fallen here—or rather, just where Allen stood.
“Allen!”
Taylor reached out. A massive serpent over 10 meters long gaped from the trees above, lunging at Allen.
As its jaws dropped, the mechanical arms snapped up, clamping the mouth top and bottom—then ripped it wide open.
“...Strong too.”
Other explorers nearby diced the thrashing serpent on the ground into chunks.
“You’ve got guts.”
“Startled me a bit.”
“At least look shocked then.”
Allen's catch wasn’t a variant. It had a mana stone but couldn’t wield mana consciously.
The supply leader claimed the snake’s stone. Needed it to absorb into the compass for the layer 22 door location—standard procedure.
End
The serpent that ambushed Allen was skinned, leaving only meat and bones—like butchered oxtail to an outsider’s eye.
Explorers hurried past without touching the meat. Allen followed.
“A 14-meter welcome snake right off the bat. Some greeting.”
“Says the guy who split its jaws. When’d you measure?”
“Added up the chunks.”
“Titan boas are huge anyway. Everything in the primordial forest is. That much meat—if you know how to prep it, starvation’s off the table. Long as it doesn’t eat you first.”
“Speaking of meat, they’re not taking any.”
“Tastes like crap. Not like we’ve been here months; fresh-off-the-descent supply crew won’t go for it.”
Allen nodded, gazing ahead. Breaker wagons all hovered, dodging jagged rocks and protruding roots.
They’d know the trick he’d applied to his own—floating wagons were the original; he’d just reverse-engineered it.
He was still a sprout amid giants. Best to watch their tracks until he matched their height.
The world always followed trailblazers’ massive footprints. His powersuit, rune pen, even simple cups—all invented by someone first.
Paths vanishing might panic some, but that’s where the fun began.
He’d pioneer, and others would follow. Linger at the front to etch his name in history, or seek safety in the pack—his choice.
Allen had no intention of waiting. If a path lay ahead, he’d walk it; if not, he’d forge one. Resolve burned bright.
Awooooo!
The jackal’s distinctive howl yanked Allen from his reverie. His senses sharpened, the surroundings snapping into focus.
An explorer at the convoy’s front raised a staff high. Something unfurled rapidly—like an umbrella inverted by wind, dish-shaped.
“Search commencing!”
That magitech was a mana wave detector. It emitted waves in all directions, analyzing reflections to map terrain and lifeforms.
The