Deeper Inside the Cave

Five days went by, and neither Zenon nor Aurea had the slightest idea of the walking mushrooms' Rank. After all, they weren't that naive to attack only one for them to be a Third or Fourth-Rank.

The possibility was slim, but not zero.

So? They tried to look everywhere on their body to find any eye they could have but found nothing. It was as if they weren't Layer Beasts per se, just unusual mushrooms. Yet, after seeing how wildly the void revolves around them, Zenon had no suspicions.

And based on what Leviathan and Phoenix found, they would sometimes move in groups. The biggest pack they found was formed by around ten of those beings.

"I wonder what they are searching for…" Zenon said before taking a bite of that deliciously cooked meat.

The cave Aurea and Zenon were currently hiding in was pretty much on the ceiling of the tunnel. Sometimes they'd hear steps under them and stop eating to let the mushroom pass by.

"If they are Layer Beasts, perhaps something to eat." Aurea replied.

"Can't they just feast on those glowing mushrooms?"

Aurea looked at Zenon for a while, tilted her head, and said, "Would that be considered cannibalism though?"

Both Unseens stared at each other, wondering if Layer Beasts could be cannibals themselves. I mean, they are part of a different race, so eating another Layer Beast is considered cannibalism? So many questions…

Zenon shrugged and finished his meal.

"I must say, you have a talent for making comfortable clothing. I thought that the thorns would make moving a living hell."

Aurea looked at her tank top and shorts made out of leaves and branches, which fit her almost perfectly and served as a good insulator against moisture.

Zenon also made some clothing for himself, that way the Solis Vines could repair themselves without him being naked.

"Let's say I've been taught well. So, shall we get going?" He said while getting up.

Aurea nodded and summoned her armor, now repaired. Zenon did the same, making a beautifully white and grey armor appear around his body. After Leviathan gave him the green light, both Unseens jumped down into the tunnel.

Without wasting a moment they began running forward while being guided by both Familiars. Zenon was also getting used to Void Sense and was able to predict which movements were about a living being or a mere fluctuation.

This became their routine for the past few days. Eat, run, eat, sleep. Even though they had no idea where they were going, at least they were making some progress.

"Do you sense any waves?"

"I do but they are too weak. The river is everywhere and messes up most of them anyway." Aurea replied.

Sighing, Zenon continued running forward at a steady pace. They were slowly closing on another link, as they called them. A link is a vast area covered by a river and several fungi, that leads to around five or ten more tunnels.

It's also an area filled with walking mushrooms, so they had to sneak around as well as they could. Sometimes the mushrooms would fight against each other but never revealed their eyes.

'This place is getting annoying.'

Something strange about this place was the effects of the Shifting. It didn't affect the layout of the cave, but it made such an intense rumble that you may think the ceiling is falling off.

At least they had a way to measure when the day went by since there wasn't any way of knowing. And their sleep schedule was messed up due to all the Layer Beasts roaming.

Zenon dropped from the tunnel into the link, followed by Aurea. It was the smallest one they'd found, having only three possible tunnels to choose from. Phoenix and Leviathan choose a path each and begin scouting ahead.

Zenon looked around the place. Just a small river coming from one of the tunnels and ending in a small lake and a lot of fungi and spores flying around.

He began walking around the place, going past extremely tall mushrooms.

'These mushrooms are way taller… perhaps they grow in size the closer we are to the exit?'

Aurea also looked around, impressed by the ecosystem formed.

Zenon activated Void Sense and the next second a chill ran down his spine. He stopped in his tracks and followed the extremely thin void trail… which ended right on a mushroom.

Looking at the immense mushroom just right behind him, his sweat turned cold when his eyes met a yellow eye which quickly grew two more.

Its pupils grew thin when it caught the human staring. Aurea noticed his reaction and quickly looked backward, making her eyes widen.

An irrational fear took hold of their bodies.

Their minds were filled with nothing but running away, not because of his eye color but rather the number. As well as the rock golem, this Layer Beast was an entire rank ahead of them.

"Third-Rank Mindful!" That shout made Zenon's brain activate, summoning Sharp Fang and putting up a proper stance.

*Screech!*

Screeching, the mushroom opened its trunk and pushed something from it. It dropped an orange mushroom from it, revealing to be a little bit taller than Aurea.

Its arms were extremely thin and flaccid as if there weren't any bones holding them up. But it had two extremely wide legs that protruded from its also thick body.

Suddenly, he ripped the cap from its head forcefully, leaving it wide open. There, Zenon and Aurea saw two orange eyes looking at them. They had a mesmerizing pattern that seemed to be a visual illusion, almost as if they were alive.

Snapping off it, Zenon said,

"Oh, fucking hell!"

The mushroom in front of him screeched as well and began running towards both of them while violently moving its arms. Zenon blocked one arm and slashed upwards, cutting it clean. It seemed like its physical defense wasn't the best.

The Layer Beast fell backward while clutching its arm and moving its legs violently, trying to get up.

"Zenon." Aurea called, "If you get a Carapace, give it to me, at least I'll do something."

Nodding, Zenon stomped the mushroom's legs and stabbed its neck as hard as he could. The mushroom threw its head backward trying to get rid of that knife.

Zenon grabbed the dagger as hard as he could and cut half of the mushroom's stalk. Then, he grabbed the mushroom by its cap and stabbed it in between its eyes.

After some seconds, a set of Runes appeared in front of him.

[You have slain a Second-Rank Instinctual: Frenzied Fungi]

"Watch out!"

Looking up, Zenon found yet another mushroom falling toward him. He rolled backward, right next to Aurea, and his eyes widened when he saw that the mushroom was identical to the other one.

It didn't take long until he met with the solution,

"The Mindful… its ability is to create lower versions of itself!" Zenon shouted.

Aurea looked at Zenon, then at the mushroom in front of her while clutching her neck warmer. Just as the Frenzied Fungi began running at her while using the same attack, she lowered the warmer and said,

"Don't move."

The mushroom stopped in his tracks, unable to move. Zenon - knowing he had five seconds to act - ran toward it and prepared his attack.

However, the Frenzied Fungi moved away before he expected, receiving a sudden blow on his chest that sent him sliding some meters backward.

The strike was so powerful he was left without air for some moments and subconsciously kneeled. Those few moments were when everything went wrong.

The mushroom ran toward Aurea and just before she could use her Ability again, a wide tentacle appeared from inside the mushroom's head. It had several teeth and a sharp needle and seemed to be extremely sticky.

In a moment, the tentacle launched itself toward Aurea - who was unable to defend herself - and pierced the armor protecting her abdomen like it was made out of jelly.

"Gagh!" Aurea tried to forcefully get rid of the tentacle which was trying to make its way into her stomach. Looking at the mushroom in front of her, she shouted her most powerful order,

"Blast away!"

*BAM!*

The mushroom - along with the tentacle - were sent flying towards the ceiling, where they both got impaled by a pointy rock. Aurea lifted her neck warmer and a set of Runes appeared in front of her, making Aurea widen her eyes.

'This is-!'

Clutching her belly, Aurea tried to get up, but a sudden rush of blood blocked her throat completely and forced her to vomit it all out inside the neck warmer. Then, another mushroom appeared from inside the big stalk.

She had little to no force to get up due to the immense wound in her stomach, but she could still summon the Carapace she gained. Searching, Aurea found the name of the Carapace and summoned it.

Just as she looked up, she found another tentacle going for her head.