65
Chapter 65
A familiar situation unfolded.
Tosuni sniffed out a scent, and upon following it, we discovered someone who was injured.
It was a situation remarkably similar to when we first discovered the injured Jjokkomi.
And just like before, this casualty wasn't a stranger either.
The casualty was a female Vampire.
She was our benefactor, the one who had revived Ailee from the dead.
Wait, why was she here of all places?
"Are you... the Teddy Bear...? Why are you here... Cough!"
Miss Vampire coughed up blood.
Her body was completely emaciated, almost like a mummy.
It seemed she had lost a significant amount of blood through a massive wound on her side.
Even now, blood was continuing to pour out.
I had no idea why she was here, but that wasn't important right now.
Treating her wounds had to be the priority.
We had to help her, obviously.
We couldn't just turn a blind eye and walk past our benefactor in a crisis.
"Gasp! This is terrible! Blood is pouring out everywhere!"
"Woooong!"
Tosuni immediately pulled some stuffing out of her own body.
Of course, it wasn't ordinary cotton stuffing.
Tosuni's stuffing contained healing powers.
"Woong, woong!"
Plop, plop.
The site of the wound.
Tosuni generously began packing the wads of stuffing into it.
Right at that moment.
"Ugggh...!"
Sizzle-
Pure white smoke rose into the air, and the wound quickly closed up.
"Whoa! To-jjang is amazing!"
Tosuni didn't react to the Fox's praise.
She immediately unpacked the luggage we brought to continue the treatment.
Rustle, rustle.
Amidst the bags scattered messily on the ground.
Tosuni found a Blood Pouch and picked it up.
It seemed she intended to feed Miss Vampire the blood we'd brought to help her recover.
"Woong!"
"Ugh...."
Miss Vampire couldn't properly control her body.
Tosuni carefully brought the Blood Pouch to her lips.
Miss Vampire gasped roughly for air before slowly beginning to suck on the Blood Pouch.
Glug, glug.
All the blood inside the Blood Pouch slid down Miss Vampire's throat.
However, Miss Vampire's body remained in an emaciated state.
It seemed the amount hadn't been enough.
It looked like we needed to supplement her with even more blood.
I searched through Miss Vampire's pockets.
It was to find the box she always carried around.
Inside that box were dumplings made of blood.
It contained the Blood Orb, which served as Miss Vampire's emergency rations.
Rustle, rustle.
Pat, pat.
Hmm.......
No matter how hard I searched, it wasn't there.
Did she lose it somewhere along the way?
...I guess if she still had it, she would have consumed it on her own.
She looked like she didn't even have the strength to move right now, but she must have had enough energy to move her fingers earlier.
Then there's no helping it.
We have no choice but to feed her all the Blood Pouches we brought without holding back.
I can't just let our benefactor die just to save some snacks.
There's no need to feel bad about wasting them.
It's not like we're losing our means of replenishing Mana.
This cave should be overflowing with Natural Mana Stones that can rapidly replenish our Mana.
***
"Haa, hah... I feel like I can finally live......."
We fed her all the Blood Pouches we had brought.
Soon enough, Miss Vampire's face regained its vitality.
Her emaciated and withered body also became glossy and full again.
The wound had already healed completely.
Alright, a complete recovery!
"To think I would receive help from you, Teddy Bear, in a place like this... Perhaps we really are connected by a special thread of fate."
Miss Vampire bowed her head to express her gratitude.
"Anyway. Thank you, you saved my life."
There's no need to thank me.
This is how we live, helping each other out.
It's not like we're strangers, either.
"And to you, rabbit Doll. Thank you as well. To use a healing skill on a complete stranger without hesitation, you truly have a kind heart."
"Woong?! Woong, woooooong!"
"What? Are you perhaps... the Princess of the Blood Rabbits from back then?"
"Woong, woong!"
Ah, she hadn't recognized Tosuni.
No wonder she only greeted me.
It was only natural that she couldn't recognize her.
Because Tosuni had suddenly gone from being a living creature to a Doll.
"...It seems you achieved a Limit Breakthrough and underwent an Evolution into a new species. But why did you evolve into a Doll? Were you influenced by the Teddy Bear?"
I understand her confusion.
Because evolving into the Doll Tribe didn't seem like a common occurrence.
"Anyway, I'm sorry for not recognizing you. I sincerely apologize."
"Hmph!"
Tosuni turned her head away.
She looked like she was sulking.
"How could you not recognize her! You dummy!"
"Hmm?"
"And why aren't you thanking me!"
The Fox puffed out her cheeks and glared at Miss Vampire.
Why is she sulking?
Does she have no conscience?
She's not thanking you because you didn't do anything, you punk.
"Who are you?"
"I am me!"
"Ah. Are you the Teddy Bear's new friend?"
"That's right! I am Gom-jjang's absolute best friend!"
When the Fox answered like that, Tosuni tilted her head and glared at her.
"Woong?"
"S-Second best friend!"
The Fox quickly corrected herself.
She really walks on eggshells around Tosuni.
"I see. But that mark on your forehead is in the shape of a star......."
As Miss Vampire muttered while staring at the Fox's forehead.
Tosuni, her mood quickly recovering, turned her head back and tugged at Miss Vampire's clothes, asking a question.
"Woong, woooong, woooooong."
"Hmm? Why was I here like this? Ahem... Come to think of it, I haven't explained yet."
Miss Vampire scratched her head.
She hesitated to speak for a moment before slowly parting her lips.
"Shamefully, I was defeated in battle and was fleeing when I discovered this cave and hid inside."
So that's how it was.
It wasn't really anything to be ashamed of.
What is there to be ashamed of about running away just to survive?
It would be different if she had abandoned her comrades and fled.
"Woong, woooong?"
"Was it a strong opponent? Yes, it was an opponent overwhelmingly stronger than me. I desperately used all my skills to launch attacks, but I couldn't inflict a single wound in the end."
An opponent that overwhelmed Miss Vampire...
She must have encountered an incredibly strong monster.
It wasn't particularly surprising.
There were probably plenty of monsters stronger than Miss Vampire scattered throughout this world.
Even the Fox right next to us was stronger than Miss Vampire, after all.
"Wooooong, woong."
"Do not worry. It won't be able to follow me here. I desperately erased all traces that could be used to track me on my way fleeing here."
It did seem that way.
Because from the entrance of the cave to here, I hadn't seen a single drop of blood staining the ground.
"More importantly, what brings you to this cave?"
"Woong, woongwoong."
"You came to mine Natural Mana Stones? Are you saying Natural Mana Stones grow natively in this cave?"
"Woong."
"To think the place I haphazardly fled to was a native habitat for Natural Mana Stones...."
Miss Vampire made a surprised expression.
As expected, it seems a native habitat for Natural Mana Stones is not easy to find.
"Hehe, this cave has a ton of Natural Mana Stones! It's so much that it's hard to take them all!"
Between Tosuni and Miss Vampire.
The Fox cut in and spoke with a triumphant face.
"A ton of Natural Mana Stones... Then isn't it dangerous? Places where Natural Mana Stones grow natively in large quantities almost always have Guardians protecting the Mana Stones."
Guardians protecting the Mana Stones?
I never heard anything about those guys existing?
When I looked at the Fox, she blinked her eyes and spoke again.
"Eh? There are no Guardians anymore."
"What do you mean there are no more?"
"A long time ago, when I first came here, they suddenly attacked me for no reason at all, so I taught them a lesson!"
"You taught them a lesson...?"
"That's right! I said I'd let them live if they became my friend, but they were bad guys who hated the idea and were disgusted by it, so I sent them to the stars!"
Sent them to the stars.
In other words, it meant she killed them.
You're a surprisingly scary Fox, aren't you.
It wasn't strange even if the Star Fox committed murder.
Although she said she didn't eat meat, she never said she didn't kill.
"There's no way the guys protecting a native habitat of Natural Mana Stones would be weak... As expected, that Fox is from the Star Tribe─"
"Anyway, there are no Guardians or anything like that anymore, so let's hurry up and go! The Natural Mana Stones are waiting for us!"
The Fox cut off Miss Vampire's words and turned around.
Miss Vampire quietly muttered to herself while looking at the Fox's back.
"...I should ask later."
"Woong-woong?"
"Ah. I will go with you as well. I saved my life thanks to you all, so as a reward, I will help you mine with all my strength."
Miss Vampire is going with us too?
Well, if you're offering to help, I won't decline.
Since your wounds are all healed, please work hard.
"Let's set off. Is that Fox guiding the way?"
"Woong."
Before we knew it, Miss Vampire had also joined our mining team.
As we were moving like that.
Miss Vampire spoke loud enough for the Fox, who was walking in the lead, to hear.
"Come to think of it, if the Guardian died, a new Guardian should have been selected from among the Guardian's kin."
"Do not worry! I have come here countless times since then! But I have never seen a new Guardian even once!"
"It must have been a Guardian with no kin."
While the two were exchanging words.
Swish-!
For a moment, something appeared in the distance and then vanished.
What was that just now?
Was it a monster?
I didn't know what had just popped out.
I couldn't check its appearance, and since it disappeared in an instant, I couldn't even feel its Mana.
Did I see things?
***
Inside the cave.
The place where countless Natural Mana Stones natively grew.
"Guardian! We have a huge problem!"
Swish, swish, swish-!
A monster came running in a panic.
[Guardian Stone lv.40]
┗Pw.240
┗Rnk.Elite
Guardian Stone.
It was a humanoid monster whose entire body was made of stone, residing in this cave.
"What is the matter."
[Guardian Stone lv.48]
┗Pw.288
┗Rnk.Elite
The Guardian Stone called the Guardian rose from its seat.
The Guardian Stone that arrived before the Guardian spoke with a terrified expression.
"The monster Fox that killed the Previous Guardian has returned!"
"What? Why does that crazy Fox come so often!"
Upon hearing the news that the Fox had arrived.
All the Guardian Stones nearby, including the Guardian, began to murmur in agitation.
The current Guardian was not originally the Guardian.
It had naturally inherited the position of Guardian because the Previous Guardian died.
And the culprit who killed the Previous Guardian was none other than the Star Fox currently approaching this place.
When the Star Fox annihilated the Previous Guardian.
All the Guardian Stones here had been using Camouflage.
That was because, on that day, the Previous Guardian had ordered everyone to use Camouflage and hide since an extremely strong being was approaching.
It had also given the order to look for an opportunity and launch a surprise attack.
However, no one followed that order.
No, they couldn't carry it out.
Because they were so paralyzed with fear upon seeing the Star Fox overwhelming the Guardian that their bodies wouldn't move.
Even after the Previous Guardian was defeated and killed.
The Star Fox visited this place periodically, and all the Guardian Stones, including the current Guardian, were always terrified and hid their figures with Camouflage to look like ordinary rocks every single time. They judged that even if they launched an all-out attack, they would absolutely never be able to defeat the monster that killed the Previous Guardian.
"E-Everyone hide immediately! If we're discovered, we'll die!"
"Yes! We will use Camouflage to turn into ordinary rocks, just like we always have!"
"Rock Camouflage!"
"W-Where should I take my position?"
"Just grab any spot like usual!"
"Wait a minute! We've grown a bit too now, so how about we try to avenge the Previous Guardian this time?!"
"If you want to fight, fight alone!"
"Stop talking nonsense and just use Camouflage!"
"Yessir!"
The Guardian Stones moved busily.
They took their positions in suitable spots and curled their bodies up.
The bodies of the curled-up Guardian Stones transformed to look like ordinary rocks.
The racial skill, Rock Camouflage.
Just like the Teddy Bear Camouflage skill possessed by the Teddy Bear, it was a skill that altered the aura of Mana emitted from the body to perfectly camouflage as a rock.
Just like that, when every single one of them without exception had finished using Camouflage to become a rock.
"Hehe! Look, there's no one here! Wasn't I right?"
The Teddy Bear's mining team, led by the Star Fox, arrived.