Chapter 0: prologue The city lay under a deep night, blanketed in silence except for the rhythmic chirping of crickets. Inside a dimly lit bedroom, the soft glow of a computer screen illuminated a young man’s face, his features sharp with concentration.Yuno’s fingers blurred over his keyboard, his mouse clicking in rapid succession. His breathing was shallow, his pulse hammering as he stared at the screen.“Damn it, Healer! Do something!” he barked, his voice barely above a whisper yet tense with urgency.The enemy loomed before him, a colossal, armored wraith with burning red eyes. Its enormous blade swung down, sending his teammates scrambling. His party members screamed through his headset.“We’re gonna wipe!” “Yuno, what do we do?!” “This boss is impossible!”Yuno clenched his jaw, his hands steady despite the chaos. He had spent weeks preparing for this fight. He would not lose now.With a final series of precise keystrokes, his character lunged forward, dodging the attack by m

Chapter 2: The Monsters of This WorldThe countdown reached zero.The portal emitted unstable energy that caused a wave to pass through the air. A small foot entered from the portal while wearing a polished leather boot. The impact of the foot hitting the ground caused Yuno’s mushroom body to experience a powerful shock.He trembled.Additional figures appeared through the portal while their shapes became visible against its bright light. At least twelve children entered the field with their eyes shining, and their faces showing mischief. The children's laughter mixed with the wind through the leaves as they entered the field.The small mushroom body of Yuno managed to squeeze behind a nearby tree trunk as he pressed his form against its rough bark. His fast breathing combined with the uncontrollable shaking of his cap."What... what is this?"He carefully poked his head out from behind the tree while a large root obstructed his sight. The children traversed through the area in a stat

Chapter 4: The Power of the MushroomAll members of the group stood close to each other as they felt the heavy atmosphere around them. The mushroom had nearly succumbed to their attacks when they were right at its doorstep. But they weren’t done yet. The boy with level-three shield protection boosted his teammates' confidence when he addressed the group.“We’ve got this. The group stands ready to permanently destroy this enemy.”His companions responded with firm hand movements as they held onto their weapons more tightly. The boy with the helmet adjusted his headgear, and the girl with glasses checked behind her as she maintained surveillance. They were ready.The young boy holding the shield explained that they needed teamwork to succeed. “Even though the target proved stronger than expected, we have numerical superiority on our side.”The mushroom detected their advancing presence while its body retained marks from its previous combat. The tiny mushroom hidden in the undergrowth ex

Chapter 6: Mark of the Hunt The trembling body of Yuno raced through dense foliage, his short legs struggling to match his breakneck speed. His vision showed only trees and dirt, with barely noticeable shapes of his hunters in the distant background.His Spore Explosion had failed to create an opening. His hopeful prayer was destroyed when the archer’s unwavering voice cut through the chaos.“There! It’s still running!”A chilling terror took root inside him.They can still see me?His rapid breathing accompanied his frantic hopping motions across the rough ground as he tried to escape. The endless forest surrounding him failed to provide any cover, his hunters were always close behind.The sounds of approaching footsteps became louder.They were right behind him.How?Yuno turned his head to look behind him, and discovered the source.A pale, luminous symbol floated above his cap, emitting an unsettling supernatural radiance. The glowing mark remained no matter how he moved.It refu

Chapter 8: A Pig The pig performed an action Yuno never expected when it approached him.It regurgitated.A chewed-up substance hit Yuno’s open wounds as the pig vomited. The foul odor became unbearable at that moment, and his injuries started to heal themselves.His health was… regenerating?The pig… had healed him?The events happening before Yuno’s eyes created confusion in his thoughts. The creature that had seemed to devour his flesh was now assisting in his recovery?The pig used its snout to softly touch his head. It wasn’t an attack. It was… affection?Yuno didn’t dare move. The pig rested next to him, its warm body pressing against the cave floor.Sleep soon overtook the beast.The cave fell into silence.But Yuno didn’t sleep. He couldn’t.His mind raced. His body remained still.He had to escape.The moonlight had shifted position by the time something stirred.The large body of the pig moved slightly before it woke up. A deep, guttural sniffing sound filled the cave.It l