Book 3 – Chapter 1: A Trippy Place (Patreon)

Al crossed the gate first, and I followed right behind him. As soon as I stepped through, I collided with his back. The jolt made me stumble, and I barely kept my balance. "Why did you stop?" I asked, annoyance creeping into my voice.

He stepped aside, revealing what had halted him. My jaw dropped. I had been through this Gate years ago, but it was during the day, so I only saw ponds, lakes, and giant mushrooms. Now, in the dark, all these mushrooms glowed in various vibrant colors, creating a surreal, almost psychedelic scene. It was breathtakingly beautiful and utterly unique. The air was thick with a sweet, earthy scent, mingled with a hint of something floral and exotic. The soft hum of nocturnal insects and the distant croaking of frogs added a symphony to the visual feast.

I stood there, transfixed, until Mahya bumped into my back, jolting me forward. "Why are you blocking the Gate?" she grumbled.

As I moved aside, her eyes widened, and she exclaimed with childlike wonder, "Oh, pretty!" Her voice echoed softly in the still night, and her breath caught in her throat as she took in the sight.

Al's face lit up with a huge smile, and he rubbed his hands together in anticipation. The glimmering colors reflected in his eyes, making him look almost as magical as the mushrooms themselves.

"Why do you look so pleased?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Based on the radiance emitted by those mushrooms, it is evident that they possess a significant amount of mana,” he replied, his eyes gleaming with excitement. His voice had an edge of eagerness, and he looked like a child who had just found a hidden treasure.

"You want to harvest these pretty mushrooms?" Mahya asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"Of course," Al said without hesitation, his tone matter-of-fact.

Mahya and I exchanged looks of disbelief, our expressions clearly conveying what we thought: Was he serious?

"What?" Al asked, shrugging. “Those are merely mushrooms. New ones will grow in their stead.”

"But they're beautiful!" Mahya protested, her voice rising in pitch, a note of desperation creeping in.

“Certainly, and I will produce potions of exceptional beauty using these materials,” Al said, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

I sighed, realizing that some people simply don't know how to appreciate beauty. "Fine," I muttered, shaking my head.

The three of us opened the Traveler's Map and examined it. Lumis was composed of one large continent, two smaller continents, and several large islands. We were currently on one of the southern islands.

"Looks like we'll have to sail to get to the main continent," I remarked, tracing the route with my finger.

"Check the Map closely," Mahya interjected. "I think we'll need the balloon to get out of here."

When I zoomed in on the map, her point became clear. We were in a vast valley encircled by multiple rings of mountains, each ring dense and imposing. I rotated the map, finding no visible passage. The mountains were so dense and high that flying over them seemed our only option. The daunting peaks loomed ominously on the horizon, casting long shadows even in the moonlight.

"What are the chances of monsters in the air or sea?" I asked, concerned.

"At 32 mana?" Mahya replied. "The chance is very low." Her voice was calm and reassuring, a stark contrast to the unease I felt.

Al nodded in agreement, a reassuring gesture. His confidence was contagious.

"Okay. You know best. This is my first medium mana world. I'll trust you with everything related to the environmental conditions," I conceded, my voice softening.

While we stood and discussed our plan, Rue, always curious, wandered off to explore the valley. Suddenly, his howl pierced the air, and I sprinted towards him. My heart pounded in my chest as fear gripped me. Rue was struggling with a small green monster latched onto his leg, its teeth buried deep.

I kicked the monster off Rue, sending it flying several meters before it hit the ground and lay still. "Good boy," I said, quickly healing Rue's leg. But another green creature leaped at me before I could catch my breath. I punched it mid-air, sending it flying. My hand throbbed with the impact, but adrenaline dulled the pain.

I pulled out my staff, sensing more monsters approaching. Mahya and Al drew their swords, ready to fight by my side. Their expressions were grim, and the air around us seemed to thicken with tension.

The creatures swarmed us, each slightly larger than a cat with large yellow eyes, sharp claws, countless teeth, four horns, and green fur—truly the strangest beings I had ever encountered. Their growls and hisses filled the air, creating a cacophony of chaos. We fought fiercely, dispatching more than thirty of them. My staff swung in fluid arcs, each impact resonating through my arms, and Mahya and Al's swords slashed and stabbed while Rue used his teeth to tear through the horde.

As the last monsters fell, we stood together, breathing heavily, sweat dripping from our brows. The metallic scent of blood mingled with the earthy smell of the mushrooms, creating a bizarre olfactory mix.

Al’s grin stretched wide across his face.

"Why are you so satisfied now? These are monsters," I said, puzzled by his demeanor.

"Indeed, the plentiful presence of worthless mana suggests that the mushrooms possess an even greater level of purity," he explained, his eyes gleaming with avarice and enthusiasm.

I shook my head, realizing everyone pays attention to what interests them most. They helped me collect all the monsters in one place, and I converted them into crystals. While I was working, I noticed the blinking red dot and checked what the system had to tell me.

Level 3 Pim defeated
Level 3 Pim defeated
Level 3 Pim defeated
Level 4 Pim defeated
Level 4 Pim defeated…

Pim sounded cute and fluffy, but those monsters were not cute or fluffy. They were plain weird.

After a short chat, we decided to hang out in the valley for a few days. Al wanted to pick mushrooms, and I needed a mental break. The last stint on Earth was super stressful because of my writing and the rush to leave.

I set up my house, activated the defenses just to be safe, and the next morning everyone did their own thing. Rue resumed patrolling. Mahya took over the spell room and started tinkering with her motorcycle again. Al ruthlessly harvested five beautiful mushrooms, then commandeered the kitchen with pots and piles of plants. I settled on the porch, split my mind, and tried to connect with the wind.

I was in for another surprise – I was really looking forward to the day I would stop getting surprised every other day. The wind here felt different from the wind on Earth. She was less playful, maybe not meaner, but definitely less friendly and more unkind. I spent most of the day trying to achieve Unity, but it wasn’t happening. Something was missing.

I thought about my experience on Earth and remembered that initially, I did achieve Unity, but the wind and I only became friends after playing with the hot air balloon. Scratching my head, I thought, “Maybe we can play together?”

I didn’t want to go up in the balloon with an unfriendly wind, so I brainstormed another game. Eventually, I decided to make paper airplanes. Sitting on the porch, I folded twenty paper airplanes, stepped outside the house's defenses, connected with the wind as much as I could, and flew the airplanes one by one, inviting her to play. I sent her the feeling of, “Let’s throw them as high as possible and keep them from touching the ground.”

At first, she was reluctant, but slowly, she warmed up and started playing with me. Each time a plane fell, I picked it up and sent it back into the air. She caught the planes and flew them all over the valley. Gradually, I felt her playful spirit awakening, and our connection deepened. After a few hours of playing, I felt the moment we became one. I realized she wasn’t mean or unkind. She just had a feisty mood that day. But our game brought out her playful side. We played with the paper airplanes all day, and both had a blast. At some point, I began to float again, but I had enough self-control to ask the wind to gently place me back on the ground. She was surprised, and it took me a second to realize she wasn’t the one lifting me. When I fully connected with her, I took on the characteristics of the wind, and so I floated.

I tried steering myself back and forth or sideways to develop my flight skills but to no avail. I was just floating in the air about two meters off the ground. I sent the wind the feeling that she should push me, but she didn't feel like it. She preferred to play with the planes. Whatever I tried didn't work. I couldn't move myself, and she didn't cooperate.

Bad wind.

As soon as I thought that, I fell.

Ouch!

As I stirred the fragrant stew I was cooking for dinner, Mahya came up behind me, her eyes narrowing slightly in playful suspicion. The rich aroma of simmering vegetables and herbs filled the air, making my mouth water. "Are you done filling the valley with litter?" she asked, a teasing lilt to her voice.

I glanced over my shoulder with a grin, "I didn't litter. I played with the wind," I replied, my tone light and airy.

She rolled her eyes, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "Spirits! You and all wizards are just weird."

"I'm not weird. I'm different," I said, raising an eyebrow and giving her a mischievous wink.

Mahya shook her head, her smirk softening into a fond smile, but she said nothing more. Her eyes, however, sparkled with a mixture of exasperation and affection as she watched me.

After her comment about litter, I felt uncomfortable, so I went to collect all the paper airplanes. I had to go far from home to pick them all up. The wind blew them away. Along the way, every few minutes, Pims attacked me. Spirits, they were annoying.

After I got home, I suggested to Mahya and Al, "We should clear out all the Pims around the house. If we don't, we won't be able to walk through the valley without getting attacked every few minutes."

They agreed, so we planned to take care of it the next morning.

We set out at dawn, the sun casting long shadows across the valley, which stretched as vast as the Grand Canyon. The air was cool, a sharp contrast to the heated anticipation that buzzed among us. Al, Mahya, Rue, and I walked in formation, our weapons at the ready. Rue's ears twitched, alert to every sound, while Al hummed a tune, his fingers tapping rhythmically against his sword hilt. Mahya strode purposefully, her eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of movement.

The first attack came swiftly. Pims ambushed us from behind a cluster of mushrooms. Their screeches filled the air as they charged at us. I swung my staff in a wide arc, catching two mid-leap and sending them crashing to the ground.

"Watch out!" Mahya yelled as a Pim leaped towards me. I ducked just in time, and she fired her MK47, taking down the monster with precision. "Thanks!" I shouted, spinning around to catch another one.

Rue growled, tearing through a Pim that tried to sneak up on Al. "Good boy, Rue!" Al said, ruffling his fur before slashing at another monster.

After the initial wave, we paused to catch our breath. I knelt down, converting them into crystals. The process was much quicker now, but I knew I’d need to do this repeatedly throughout the day.

"We need to keep moving," Mahya said, patting her MK47. "There will be more."

As we continued, the landscape unfolded before us in breathtaking beauty. The valley was full of ponds and giant mushrooms. Even in the day, when they didn’t glow, they still looked strange and beautiful. But there was no time to appreciate the scenery fully; we were on a mission.

We moved methodically, clearing each area we passed. The Pims were relentless, attacking in waves. Al was in his element, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he swung his sword with precision. Mahya fought fiercely, her movements fluid and deadly as she wielded her MK47. Rue was a blur of fur and teeth, protecting us with unwavering loyalty.

At one point, a particularly large group of Pims swarmed us. “They are returning for another round,” Al shouted, positioning himself between Mahya and me.

I focused, gathering my energy, and unleashed a wave of magic that knocked several Pims off their feet. "Take that!" I yelled, feeling the rush of power coursing through me.

Mahya took advantage of the opening, her MK47 flashing as she cut down the monsters. "Yes!" she exclaimed, kissing the rifle. "I love this thing!" Rue barked, snapping at a Pim that tried to attack from the side. Al laughed, clearly enjoying the fight as he dispatched another creature.

When the last of the Pims in that group fell, I knelt again, converting them into crystals. We cleared a big area but still had a long way to go. "How's everyone holding up?" I asked, looking at my friends.

“I have never been in a better state,” Al said, wiping sweat from his brow.

"I'm good," Mahya replied, though her eyes were tired. "We can keep going."

"Rue?" I asked, scratching behind his ears.

He wagged his tail in response and said, “Rue, fight.” He didn’t shout it but said it in normal volume!

I immediately identified him:

Rue 
Bonded Familiar
Level 10

“Congratulations, buddy!” I exclaimed.

We pressed on, the sun climbing higher in the sky. The heat began to make itself known, but we didn't let it slow us down. We stopped occasionally to rest and rehydrate, always on alert for another attack.

Around midday, we reached a wide open space where the valley walls seemed to close in, creating a bottleneck. "Perfect spot for an ambush," I muttered, scanning the area.

"Stay sharp," Mahya warned, gripping her MK47 tighter.

We moved cautiously, and sure enough, a massive horde of Pims burst from hiding places among the rocks and mushrooms. They came from all directions, their yellow eyes glowing with malevolent intent.

"Here we go!" Al shouted, charging into the fray.

I swung my staff, the satisfying thud of impact resonating as I knocked back several Pims. Mahya was a whirlwind of steel and bullets, her movements precise and deadly. Rue leaped and snapped, his growls echoing through the valley.

A particularly large Pim lunged at me, its teeth bared. I ducked and rolled, coming up with my staff ready. I thrust it forward, catching the monster in the chest and sending it sprawling. "Not today," I muttered, finishing it off.

The battle was intense, and for a moment, it seemed like the Pims would overwhelm us. But we fought with determination, each of us covering the other. Al's sword flashed, cutting down enemies left and right. Mahya's MK47 was relentless, and Rue's ferocity was unmatched.

Finally, the last Pim fell, and we stood there, breathing heavily. "That...was intense," Mahya said, wiping her forehead.

"You're telling me," I replied, bending down to convert the fallen monsters into crystals.

We took a longer break this time, sitting in the shade of a large mushroom. Al passed around water, and we drank gratefully. Rue lay down, panting but still alert.

"How many more do you think there are?" I asked, looking at the map.

"A few more nests, maybe," Mahya said. "We're making good progress."

As we continued, the valley seemed to stretch on endlessly. We encountered more groups of Pims, each fight a test of our endurance and skill. Despite the constant battles, we managed to keep our spirits high, joking and encouraging each other.

“Remember the rats?” I asked them.

Al shuddered and said, "I would rather erase them from my memory."

We reached another clearing and paused. "Hold up," I said, checking the map. "Looks like we're close to the last area we didn’t clear."

"Let's finish this," Mahya said, determination in her voice.

The final nest was the largest we'd encountered. Pims poured out in waves, their screeches filling the air. We fought with everything we had, our movements a well-coordinated dance of steel, bullets, and magic. My staff struck true, Al's sword flashed, Mahya's MK47 cut through the air, and Rue was a blur of teeth and fur.

Despite the overwhelming numbers, we held our ground. I felt the familiar rush of power as I unleashed another wave of magic, knocking back a group of Pims. Mahya fought fiercely, her eyes blazing with determination. Al's grin never faltered, and Rue was relentless.

When the last Pim fell, we stood there, exhausted but triumphant. "We did it," I said, converting the final monsters into crystals. I felt a wave of dizziness and checked my mana: 70/10,200.

I remembered the mana wave I sent out of me. I didn’t think about it at the time; I just acted on instinct, but it was something new I did. I checked my personal information, but there was no new ability or spell listed.

"That was...something," Mahya said, sitting down heavily, kissing her MK47 again. "Love you," she whispered to the rifle.

Al nodded, wiping his sword clean. “Indeed.”

Rue barked, wagging his tail, and said, “Rue is very dangerous.”

We rested for a while, letting the adrenaline fade. The valley was quiet now, the threat of the Pims gone. I looked around, taking in the beauty of the mushrooms, the mountains, and the cliffs. The air was still, the silence only broken by the distant rustle of leaves and the soft chirping of birds.

As we began the long trek back to the house, we were all tired but satisfied. The valley was safe now, and we could explore without constant attacks. We walked in comfortable silence. When we finally reached the house, the sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the landscape. The sky was a canvas of oranges and purples, the perfect ending to a challenging day.

"That was quite a day," I said, my voice filled with a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction.

Mahya nodded, her eyes closing as she leaned back. "Yeah. But we did good."

Al grinned, his eyes twinkling. "We are a good team."

Rue lay at my feet, already asleep. I smiled, feeling a deep sense of contentment, and didn’t even mind that I had to fight. Sometimes it’s necessary. As we ate, we talked and laughed, sharing stories and memories. The valley was quiet now, a peaceful contrast to the chaos of the day. The sunset colors, the taste of the stew, and the camaraderie made everything feel right.