Under each red peppercap, a crack formed, seeping a red glow and a bloody substance.


    The Toad''s symbiosis with the redsilk algae gave the color of their peppercaps while ''stoking the furnace'' within their bodies, as Fin once described the red-orange glow of the Toad''s eyes.


    Those eyes were a timer.


    As long as the eyes didn''t fully open, Krow had time.


    They were lucky that Peppercap Toads were stone-element-natured. They slumbered until something woke them, then their retaliation was overkill.


    He learned from the warren of shotbark rabbits that, despite having the effect halved on monsters above Lvl 10, the numbing properties of Minor Paralyzing Mist Vials stacked as long as the mist wasn''t allowed to disspate.


    [Peppercap Toad Lvl 37]


    [HP: 10 000][MP: 200]


    Haha.


    A bit desperate, Krow triggered Shadowbind.


    Sess.


    [0:00:00:14]


    <em>Just fifteen seconds?</em>


    Gah, he''ll take it.


    Krow cracked more mist vials.


    The breeze wafted a sweet scent past his nose. Krow quickly nced behind. That scent was…


    Yes, Menrike''s aunt had lit a mound of fresh Tasseline Verdant Herb and was sending the smoke toward him. Or toward the Toads, rather.


    It wasn''t the first time he''d smelled that cloying sweet burned scent.


    <em>Minor Paralysis. Minor Poison. Minor Befuddlement.</em>


    -1% HP.


    He grimaced at the status warnings.


    But whoa, that aunt, she went all out.


    He could appreciate the thought. They were this close to death, so why not take this small chance that would either kill them on their own terms or save them?


    Tasseline Verdant Herb could be smoked.


    Like opium.


    And like opium, it had simr effects on the body.


    Krow''s mask could mitigate some of the effects, but an overdose of this magnitude?


    Tasseline Verdant Herb was soporific, used in anesthetics and the yer-made Slumberbomb potion. The Slumberbomb, in fact, took Peppercap Powder from the Toads as one of its ingredients.


    He paused in opening Mist vials to drink a Fool''s Antidote.


    [0:00:09:58]


    His HP started dropping, but the debuffs due to Paralyzing Mistbining with the Herb smoke disappeared. Fool''s Antidotested ten minutes in scenarios of continuous poisoning, and he''d get a notification if his HP dropped under 75%.


    Still, their efforts weren''t doing anything.


    The Toad''s eyes were still widening.


    He gestured to the draculkar to make more smoke, triggered Shadowbind again.


    [Extend?]


    "Yes!"


    Normally, Spells triggered and created a single effect, like Double-jump. But some Spells, like Firecoil, could be extended in duration as long as MP was fed to it. It appeared Shadowbind needed – he flickered an eye to his stats – 50% mastery to gain the ability to extend the spell effects.


    It didn''t help that much. After using Shadowbind twice, he had little MP left.


    It only added up to twenty seconds.


    Twenty seconds that he kept filling the air with Paralyzing Mist.


    Then, incredibly, the slivers of glowing red under the tall peppercap earhorns of the Toad started to wane and dim.


    The Toad''s eyelids slowly fell, each increment a boost of hope in Krow''s heart.


    Krow tossed more Mist vials at the foot of the Toad, ced thest of the crate in his Inventory, and carefully backed away.


    His boots slid, making him il for bnce before he could get a purchase on the algae-covered ground.


    The redsilk algae was as smooth and fine as its namesake.


    He jumped to avoid the wash of red spreading from the grove of ''mushrooms''.


    The Peppercap Toad''s eyes closed fully.


    Only then did he shakily exhale his relief.


    He gestured to the two draculkar at the edge of the clearing.


    Together, they ran.


    They didn''t stop until they got to the waterfall pool below Cerkanst.


    Krow dug his hands in a naturally-formed basin of water and sshed handfuls on his face.


    "I...I''m sorry."


    Krow nced up, to the penitent Menrike.


    Her aunt had set her straight it seemed.


    "I''m sorry I didn''t listen."


    He nodded, feeling the sincerity of her apology.


    Even if her behavior was that of a spoiled child, it looked like she was a good kid.


    "I won''t wander off anymore and I''ll be more careful."


    Krow sighed. He patted her on the head. "The Grandshield Forest is full of dangers, alright? Listen to your aunt."


    "Mm! Here!" She grabbed his hand, dropped two potion vials in it. "They''re Low Heal potions I made. Since you''re a hunter, you can use them, right?"


    Krow stared at the vials for a long moment.


    He turned his eyes to the aunt, who was looking toward Cerkanst with the solemnity of seeing a hometown after having escaped certain death. But Krow saw the brief upward curl of amusement to her lips; don''t think he didn''t notice!


    He seriously reconsidered his forgiveness.


    If he said he didn''t forgive her, then he shouldn''t have to drink these, right?


    Low Heal was not supposed to look like it was drool from the maw of a hellbeast.


    Heal potions were a healthy vivid red.


    The potion in the vials was ck with red flecks, looking like rotten blood and bile.


    His hand shed out, grabbed the monster casually hanging from a low branch.


    Pygmy Slothcat, Common, the size and long-haired furry adorability of a Siberian housecat, useless for ingredients, but very useful when keeping pest animals and insects away from a garden.


    It protested in his arms, with cries that sounded like a rubber duck being squeezed.


    "It''s so adorable!" Menrike skipped closer, eyes wide and shiny in fascination.


    Krow fed her Low Heal to it, trapping the slothcat against his chest.


    "What are you doing? Is it sick?"


    He let the slothcat go.


    It jumped onto the small branches of a shrub, hissing furiously at them. It attempted to climb, in the fastest way a slothcat could, but then it stilled.


    It fell off the bush, its entire body frozen in the pose of climbing.


    "It''s sick now." Krow shrugged.


    The slothcat''s limbs rxed.


    Menrike looked like she was about to cry, staring at the slothcat.


    "We better dispose of it properly." Krow nodded as thest dregs of life left the monster. "It died fairly fast. The body might be poisonous."


    She looked at him, pale. Her tears turned into a re. "You! I made up my mind not to me you for throwing me away so far but--"


    "Better bury it deeply," the aunt interrupted serenely. "So it couldn''t be dug up."


    "Aunt?!"


    "We take responsibility for the things we create, my niece." She patted the girl''s arm, turned to Krow. "Thank you for your care this day. You call yourself Krow, yes?"


    He bowed, smiled. "I do. I''m sure we have not met, or I''d remember you,dy...?"


    Menrike blinked at him, aghast. "Are you...are you flirting with my aunt? She''s older than you by two hundred years!"


    "Two hundred? Are you certain it isn''t two decades?" Krow lifted his brows in surprise.


    The auntughed, eyes crinkling.


    "Ugh. I''m leaving. Aunt, I''ll take your basket." She stomped away.


    "Perhaps you would apany us to the vige head''s office, young one?"


    "It wouldn''t be a hardship," Krow agreed. "But I still don''t know your name."


    The older woman smiled. "Jamutaltei bal Thaunal."


    ....eh?