CHAPTER 112: Like Moonlight
The snake’s name was Akram.
A snake born from a torch.
Having consumed untold eons, the creature, which was once a small spirit, had attained its current power and form.
“Time has the power to transform even the most humble creature into a spiritual beast. I, too, was a humble being at my inception, but by the blessing of the Goddess of the Clock, I became what I am now.”
“Is there a being called the Goddess of the Clock?”
“It’s just a figure of speech.”
“Ah, this is only my second time in the Spirit Realm, so I thought there might be such a deity.”
“That’s understandable.”
Evening. Jinwoo and Akram were chatting amiably in front of a warm bonfire.
To light another bonfire in a world so full of fire, inside a cave that was hotter than a blast furnace… it felt strange, but the atmosphere wasn't bad. Akram, who had seemed only cantankerous, turned out to be surprisingly talkative, and Jinwoo was able to hear many interesting stories.
“You’re unexpectedly chatty.”
“Unlike that dragon-head over there, you seem to be reasonable.”
“What!? What did you say?”
“Hmph.”
However, his relationship with Kalesian was still poor. They growled, traded barbs, and spoke sarcastically whenever they looked at each other.
Still, it was a relief they weren't physically fighting like before. A little verbal sparring was no problem. It felt like watching two stubborn old men bickering.
“Jinwoo, I found some things a human can eat.”
Just then, Rachel, who had been outside, returned with her arms full of something. She poured them out in front of Jinwoo, whose expression turned peculiar.
There were fruits that were actively burning. They reeked of oil, but it wasn't the appetizing smell of meat fat; it was a foul odor similar to petroleum.
There were flower buds, charred black and hardened. Instead of a fragrant floral scent, they only smelled musty, like charcoal.
The fish looked the most normal, but it was also burnt to a crisp like a lump of charcoal and looked completely inedible.
“Here! Don’t be shy, eat up.”
“Uh, yeah. Thanks.”
She was smiling so brightly that he couldn't refuse outright. Besides, he was curious.
‘The ingredients in the Spirit Realm have always been amazing.’
Perhaps these would taste fine once he tried them. They might even increase his mana.
‘Hmm…’
The results were not good. He took a bite of each, and they all tasted exactly as they looked. It felt like placing a piece of crushed charcoal on his tongue. Unable to eat any more, Jinwoo discreetly stuffed them into a forgotten corner of his inventory. He had at least one bite, so that should be fine…
“Um, Jinwoo.”
“What is it?”
“If it’s alright with you, could you please help us?”
Rachel’s voice had grown softer. She knew it was a shameless request, but she couldn't help but ask. That was why her voice was so thin.
Jinwoo glanced at Akram. He had lowered his head to the ground and closed his eyes.
Just as he was about to answer, Kalesian spoke first.
“Sorry, but we have no obligation to do that. We are in a hurry.”
“I-Is that so.”
Rachel flinched as she replied. It seemed Kalesian was still a terrifying presence to her.
His tone was cold, but Jinwoo thought it was the right answer. There was no need to stick their necks out for something dangerous. And if they were going to refuse, it was better to do it cleanly, without leaving any room for hope.
“We’ll leave tomorrow morning. It’ll be a huge problem if we get on that Water-Forest Dragon’s bad side by staying here.”
At Kalesian’s declaration, Rachel’s ears drooped. Still, it couldn't be helped. Antagonizing a dragon was far too dangerous to do out of mere sympathy.
“Hmph, leaving is fine, but to where?” Akram, who had stayed out of the conversation until now, asked with a smirk.
Kalesian retorted defensively, “Anywhere. For now, we just need to get away from this fire and forest.”
“I don’t mind you leaving my domain. I have no intention of holding back guests who wish to depart. But can you escape the forest?”
“What’s the problem? We just have to go in the opposite direction, avoiding the border where they’re fighting.”
“That’s because this place is already surrounded by the forest.”
At those words, Kalesian flew out of the cave and soared high into the sky. He flew higher and higher until he was out of sight, ascending even further.
Piercing through the clouds, Kalesian surveyed the area once before descending again.
“Dammit.”
His voice was somewhat dejected as he cursed upon his return.

Three days passed. During that time, Jinwoo and Kalesian tried to find a way out of the forest, but they failed.
“The attacks are too relentless.”
“It’s clear they’re targeting us. Especially me.”
After three days of struggle, what Jinwoo and Kalesian learned was that the forest was targeting them, and Kalesian in particular.
Akram smirked as if to say, I told you so.
“This is a creature who would spread a forest like this just to swallow a single spirit like me. It’s not going to let a delicious meal like a hatchling go. I don’t know the circumstances, but the moment you entered the forest, you were caught in its net.”
Akram was telling them to be careful not to get caught while passing through the forest and end up as a nourishing meal for Silbaern.
“Was falling into this place the problem from the start…?”
“It can’t be helped. It’s not uncommon to land in a dangerous place when entering a Gate.”
Usually, the initial drop point upon entering a Gate is random. In the case of the Primitive Forest, for example, it meant no one knew where in the forest they would land.
Many researchers had once tried to find a pattern or algorithm, but they ultimately discovered nothing.
When Jinwoo first arrived in the Spirit Realm, Permu’s tower was nearby, so he had wondered if he was dropped in a place under the World Tree’s influence. But seeing this case, it seemed that wasn't it either.
“Random… Could it be that I was dropped in a dragon’s territory because I’m a dragon?”
“I’m not sure. You’re the only dragon entering a Gate from Earth, Kalesian.”
There might be some unknown attraction at play. Or there might not be.
In the end, worrying about it now was useless. What was important was finding a way to break through the forest before them and escape Silbaern’s domain.
‘Finding a Blue Portal and making a temporary retreat is one option.’
He could return to Earth once and then re-enter. That would at least get them out of this forest. Of course, there was a chance they could land in an even more dangerous place, so he couldn't be complacent.
‘But there isn’t one. A Blue Portal.’
However, there was no Blue Portal to be seen nearby. There was definitely not one within Akram’s domain of fire. The only remaining possibility was to search for one in Silbaern’s forest domain…
“For now, it seems we have no choice but to search for a Blue Portal in the forest.”
Kalesian seemed to have reached the same conclusion. Jinwoo nodded in agreement, as he had been thinking the same thing.
“Good luck. I’ll help with anything inside the fire, but you’re on your own in the forest.”
Akram spoke as if it had nothing to do with him. Since it really didn't concern him, there was no reason to be upset.

They pushed their way through the forest. Dragon Tooth Soldiers attacked from all sides, and thick roots shot up from the ground, trying to form a cage to trap them.
Jinwoo and Kalesian cut down and burned everything in their path as they advanced.
“This is a pain. If they keep coming like this, we’re done for.”
Kalesian clicked his tongue at the endless onslaught. Though his stamina and mana were vast, Silbaern’s mana spread throughout this forest was also seemingly infinite. In a war of attrition, they would obviously be the first to tire.
“And there’s no guarantee that these are all they have. For now, only the easy ones are coming, but…” Jinwoo replied, clicking his tongue.
The Dragon Tooth Soldiers and roots rushing at them now could be handled with a single, simple sword strike. Even so, their sheer numbers required considerable attention. If stronger enemies appeared, their stamina would be depleted even more rapidly.
“For now, let’s keep going like this. We have to scout one way or another.”
“Let’s do that.”
The two advanced by taking turns, one fighting while the other rested. However, resting didn't mean they could truly relax. The attacks fell indiscriminately, so even the one resting had to defend themselves. In the end, only the intensity of the work changed; they couldn't rest with peace of mind.
“I’ve been in enemy territory or surrounded many times, but I’ve never faced an enemy this overwhelming.”
“That makes sense. Until now, your fights were in the lower worlds, but this is the Spirit Realm.”
The Lords Jinwoo had faced until now. However, the Lords couldn't exert their full power in the lower worlds. Therefore, what Jinwoo had experienced was only a fraction of their strength.
But this was the Spirit Realm. A place where powerful beings called spirits existed everywhere, exerting their influence. Facing that power, he could feel a dull, heavy impact in the hand that held his sword.
“Most of all, not knowing where the exit is is the biggest problem. Are we even going the right way?”
“Who knows. All I saw was an endless forest.”
This was another reason they couldn't muster their full strength. If they at least knew the direction, they could focus all their power to break through, but that wasn't the case. They didn't know where the exit was or if they were even heading in the right direction. Thus, they had to advance while conserving as much energy as possible, which was the very thing causing them such a headache.
“We might be heading in a completely different direction from the exit, or we might even be walking right into the beast’s maw.”
“You mean we could be heading for Silbaern’s lair?”
“Yes.”
That was the worst-case scenario. To be trying so hard to escape the forest, only to find out they were walking into the enemy's den. They could only pray that wasn't the case as they moved forward, but ultimately, they knew nothing. There was nothing to base their judgment on. They were only getting more lost in the forest's maze.
“…Let’s end this scouting mission here. We should head back for now.”
In the end, they had come as far as they could, but they found neither the forest’s exit nor a Blue Portal. The surroundings were still a dense, overgrown forest.
‘Is there any way?’ Jinwoo asked the glass bead.
Since their opponent was a forest, he hoped there might be a good solution. But no answer came. He still couldn't contact her in the Spirit Realm.
‘It was like this before, too.’
It was the same when he first came to the Spirit Realm. He had panicked and tried to talk to the God of the Moonlight Forest several times, but there was no reply. It seemed there was no separate way to contact her. Perhaps he really had to find the World Tree's main body to be able to speak with her.
However.
‘…It’s shining.’
The glass bead emitted a faint light. It wasn't enough to convey her will, but it was glowing faintly on its own.
Jinwoo took out one of the artifacts he had stored in his inventory. The Artifact of the Moonlight Forest. A small tree sapling that was a pair to the glass bead.
“What’s that?”
“It’s an artifact from the Moonlight Forest.”
The sapling was glowing faintly, as if asserting something.
After a moment of thought, Jinwoo planted it on the subtle border just outside Akram’s domain, where the fire and forest met.
The light from the glass bead gently illuminated the sapling. Just like moonlight.