chapter 87
[Scenario Quest (Main)]
In the basin, countless pollutants lay dormant.
They were meant to remain asleep forever, but due to the reckless development projects of foolish humans, ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) they awakened. The basin eroded, turning into a sticky, dangerous swamp.
The polluted swamp grotesquely transforms nearby lifeforms into monsters and turns the surrounding land into a realm of death. Because of this, the beastkin living in the contaminated zones are suffering greatly.
The Snow Leopard Tribe is purifying the contamination using regular Purification Acorns supplied by the Squirrel Tribe, but the effect of ordinary acorns is only temporary.
To completely cleanse the core of the contamination, a “Special Purification Acorn” is needed.
In response, the benevolent emperor has promised to grant this year’s harvest of Special Purification Acorns from the Squirrel Tribe to aid the beastkin.
Until the Special Purification Acorn purifies the contamination, the beastkin’s lands must be protected.
O outsiders from another world—aid the beastkin and help cleanse the pollution.
Time Limit: 20D 18:53:36
[Scenario Quest (Personal)]
You are the only Sky Squirrel in this world.
Your goal is to cultivate the Tree of Purification alongside the squirrels and harvest both Regular Purification Acorns and Special Purification Acorns.
Your tree needs good sunlight, clean water, a rich environment to soothe mind and body, and warm, loving attention.
Assist the experienced squirrels of the Purification Tree farm and ultimately harvest a Special Purification Acorn.
Time Limit: 20D 18:53:36
Reward: ???
Now that she thought about it, Guru vaguely remembered hearing something about RP Dungeons during basic Hunter education.
They said it was a dungeon type where everyone had to cooperate to clear the Main Scenario—and you’d also be assigned a personal quest based on your role...
The time limit seemed to be just over 20 days, and the main quest appeared to involve protecting the beastkin from the contamination.
But more importantly…
She had to stay here for 20 whole days?! That part had never come up in class!!
Gwuu's gonna be in so much twouble.
Guru trembled with despair at the situation.
Just in case, she checked the watch on her wrist, but it was completely unresponsive—dead.
Sh-should Gwuu just go back?
She rummaged through her backpack and pulled out a scroll.
The reason she’d been so brave in the first place was actually because of this return scroll. Jurim had given it to her right before her first dungeon.
Gwuu can tell Ham Honggi what justice is some othew time…
But just as she tried to tear it—
[This area does not allow scroll use.]
Gwuu’s doomed!
“Gyaaaah!” she clutched her cheeks in chaos.
…….
Her despair-filled eyes locked with those of the squirrel who had introduced herself as Cheche.
“Jueei?” (Is something bothering you, Sky Squirrel?)
In that instant, something like royal dignity surged inside Guru. She straightened her posture and cleared her throat.
Worrying about the future wouldn’t change anything. Might as well start with what she could do.
She looked over the quest window carefully again, reading all the way through the personal quest.
So Gwuu’s job is to hawvest acowns?
“Gotta gwow a twee?”
Her words made Cheche visibly brighten.
“Jitjit?” (Your Majesty, would you like to inspect the acorn farm?)
“Uh-huh.”
Cheche led the way, and Guru followed behind in tiny steps.
After stepping out of the modest two-story treehouse and walking a bit, the farm came into view.
So pwetty.
The outside world looked like it had been painted with oil pastels. A vast field of green grass stretched toward gentle hills in the distance.
A breeze carried the scent of trees and flowers, and Guru sniffed at the clean, fresh smell as she walked.
The squirrels led her to a modest patch of land fenced in by wooden stakes. A few squirrels tending the trees greeted her politely.
“Juee!” (Greetings to the King of Squirrels!)
“Juee!” (Sky Squirrel!)
At their respectful greeting, Guru lifted one hand with regal dignity and returned the salute.
“Juee!”
At that, Cheche turned to Guru in shock.
“Jitjit.” (Your Majesty, saying that is… inappropriate.)
“Uh? What did Gwuu say?”
“Jueei.” (I… I can’t bring myself to repeat it.)
Cheche blushed and looked away.
Hmm. Gwuu doesn’t get it, but okay. She decided not to ask.
Gwuu shouwdn't say dat no mowe.
The squirrel language might auto-translate in her head, but the actual words coming out of her mouth were a problem.
“Jitjitjit.” (This is the acorn farm.)
The Tree of Purification looked more like grapevines than oak trees. They only came up to Guru’s head and looked rather wilted.
When she got closer, the trees seemed to react to her presence, their branches rustling gently.
Waaah…
As Guru stroked the trunk of one, a window popped up.
[Tree of Purification]
[Status: Poor]
[Hunger]
[Lifespan: 30/30]
“Ichee, Cheche. Da twee’s hungwy.”
“Jitjit!” (As expected, Your Majesty can see the tree’s status!)
Cheche clenched her fists with sparkling eyes. It seemed the window was only visible to Guru.
“Uh-huh, and da wife is 30/30 too.”
“Ah! That means it’s time to plant a new acorn.”
Ahh, so that’s why the squirrels had been pulling up the trees.
From earlier, six squirrels had been struggling together to yank one out with their bare paws.
Wike dat? Don’t dey got no toows?
Watching the primitive work, Guru turned her head away with a complicated expression.
****
The first day passed in a blur.
Between the farming and the quests, the squirrels seemed to be handling things on their own, so Guru had only one goal: get revenge on Ham Honggi to put the Black Flame Dragon to rest.
Since the main scenario was about the beastkin, she figured he had to be nearby, but when she checked the map, the zone was way too big.
Guru’s squirrel village was a remote backwoods place, and according to Cheche, the spot the [Spy Ladybug (C)] pointed to was near the contamination zone—an area too dangerous for squirrels to enter.
Since they entewed in guild units, Gwuu should find out which beastkin’s in dat awea first.
Calming the grumbling Black Flame Dragon, she drifted off to sleep.
On the second day, she snuck into the farm again to gather intel from the squirrels.
Wearing the boots and dress Cheche had brought her, Guru wandered near the squirrels pulling up trees and casually asked,
“Heyy, who wiveth in da contamination zone?”
“Jitjitjueejijijik. Jit. Jitjijit.” (The Snow Leopard Tribe. There are a lot of them, and they’re fierce warriors. They guard the land so the contaminated ones don’t come ashore.)
“Got it.”
If the Snow Leopard Tribe was numerous and guarding the infected zone, they probably played a key role in the main scenario. Meaning, Brom Guild had probably been assigned that role.
How’s Gwuu gonna meet da Snow Leopards?
Even riding her tricycle, it would take at least three days to get there.
And with only an old squirrel map of the farm area, she couldn’t even be sure if the roads were bike-friendly.
And it’s inside a dungeon, so Gwuu can’t use [Dungeon is an Open Door] either…
Just then, one of the squirrels yanked on a tree too hard and fell flat on his butt. He stood up sniffling, rubbing his sore backside.
All of Guru’s people were weak and behind the times.
Gwuu ended up all alone in a pwace wike dis…
Mouth open, she stared blankly as the others worked.
“Jueek! Jitik!” (Your Majesty, please come with me.)
Farm work took a lot of paws, and with so few squirrels, even the Sky Squirrel had to pitch in.
Guru’s assigned task was to move acorns.
“How?”
She held up her empty hands, showing she had no tools. One squirrel grinned wide and demonstrated.
“Jueejitjit!” (Put them in your cheek pouches!)
The squirrel stuffed acorns into his mouth until his cheeks puffed out big and round.
“Eh?!”
But Gwuu’s not a weal squiwwow! She can’t do that!
“Jueejit.” (Here, give it a try.)
And then they started stuffing acorns into her mouth.
“Angae!” (Noddaaaay!)
But her cheeks stretched out and the acorns went in one after another.
It wowks?!