By the time Aurora finally disappeared into the deeper stretch of the forest, the excitement and noise from the group behind her had long faded into distant echoes. What remained was silence - thick, natural, and far more suited to her current task.
Because she had already wasted enough time.
What had started as a simple herb-gathering trip had somehow turned into a full confrontation, a public demonstration, and the accidental announcement of her "divine blessing."
Was it efficient, yes. But planned? Not even remotely.
Aurora exhaled softly, pushing the thoughts aside as her focus sharpened once more. She had more important matters to deal with. Namely, a poisoned Alpha who had given her a two-week deadline... and didn’t look like the forgiving type.
Her steps slowed slightly as she began scanning her surroundings. Her gaze moved carefully across the forest floor, the undergrowth, the shape of leaves, the texture of stems. Though the plants in this world weren’t exactly the same as those from Earth, the similarities were enough for her trained eyes to identify patterns, medicinal properties, and possible substitutions.
At the same time, she relied on something else - memory. Not her own, but the original owner’s.
And though that woman had been... questionable in many aspects, she had still lived here her entire life. Her memories provided a rough understanding of the forest layout, the safer paths, and most importantly the boundaries.
Aurora paused briefly as that realization settled - this part of the forest wasn’t commonly visited.
According to the memories, most tribe members rarely ventured this far. It was too distant from the main settlement and far too close to the outer border of their territory. Which meant higher chances of encountering demon beasts.
Aurora’s gaze lifted slightly, scanning the trees again as her senses sharpened.
"Great."
She didn’t stop walking. But her awareness heightened instantly.
She wasn’t foolish enough to think she could handle a demon beast in this body. Even with her combat experience, this oversized, sluggish form would only slow her down. Strength, speed, endurance - everything she once relied on was compromised.
Still, she had calculated the risk.
"Navi," she called mentally.
[Yes, Host?]
"You mentioned demon beasts are mostly active at night."
[Correct. Demon beasts generally leave their lairs during nighttime hours.]
Aurora narrowed her eyes slightly. "Generally."
There was a pause before the system spoke again.
[This system would like to clarify that "generally" does not mean "always." Daytime encounters are rare... but not impossible.]
Aurora’s lips twitched faintly. "Of course."
She continued moving, carefully and quietly. Her every step was measured, every sound noted. At some point, she became aware of something else, or rather the absence of it.
The cub.
She paused briefly and her gaze shifted behind her as if expecting to see a small white figure trailing along. But there’s nothing.
The cub hadn’t followed her, and had likely stayed back near the stream.
Her expression remained unchanged, but she noted it internally. At least one creature in this forest had survival instincts.
With that settled, she refocused.
Her pace slowed further as she began actively searching now, her attention no longer divided. Leaves were brushed aside, roots examined, stems snapped lightly between her fingers as she tested their texture and scent.
Time passed quietly.
Until-
[Ding!]
Aurora stopped as Navi’s voice followed almost immediately.
[Reward distribution in progress!]
Aurora straightened slightly, her focus shifting inward.
[You have received: 100 System Points.]
[You have received: 1 Body Cleansing Pill.]
Aurora blinked once as she asked, "What’s with the system points?"
[System Points are the primary currency within the system shop.] Navi replied promptly. [They can be used to purchase various items, tools, and resources to assist the host.]
Aurora nodded slightly, finding this new feature really useful. Then she asked, "And the pill? What’s its limit?"
[The Body Cleansing Pill will eliminate toxins and impurities from the host’s body.]
Aurora’s steps slowed and her eyes narrowed slightly.
"...Impurities."
Her gaze dropped briefly to her own arm, then to her body, and then back ahead. The pill sounded like the exact thing she needed right now if she wanted to start fixing this body of hers.
Without hesitation, she pulled up the system interface.
A translucent screen appeared in front of her, hovering silently in the air, visible only to her eyes. The interface was clean, structured, and surprisingly detailed - tabs, categories, and sections.
Aurora scanned through them quickly. Food, medicines, clothes, and basic tools tabs were already unlocked. But everything else was locked.
Her gaze flicked across the remaining categories - Body enhancement, crafting tools, upgrade tokens, special kits, and-
"Relationship boosters...?"
Aurora stared at that tab for a full second, and then moved on immediately. What caught her attention next were the prices.
Her brows lowered slightly. "You have got to be kidding me."
Nothing was cheap. Even the most basic items required a noticeable amount of points. Tools, medicines, preserved foods - everything had a cost that made her current balance feel... underwhelming.
She closed the interface halfway, her tone flat as she asked, "How do I earn more points?"
Navi responded instantly, as if waiting for the question. [System Points can be earned through multiple methods:]
Aurora listened carefully.
[-Completing system-issued tasks.]
[-Triggering hidden achievements through discovery, innovation, or influence.]
[-Improving the development level of the Beastworld.]
[-Building relationships and increasing influence among key individuals.]
[-Trading valuable items or knowledge through the system exchange feature.]
Aurora’s eyes sharpened slightly. "So basically," she summarized, "be useful, be influential, or be innovative."
[Correct, Host!] Navi chirped.
Aurora hummed quietly, finding the set up fair enough. Then she dismissed the screen and her attention returned to the forest. And just in time because her gaze landed on something familiar.
There was a cluster of plants partially hidden beneath a low bush. Their leaves were narrow, slightly serrated, and with a faint bluish tint along the edges.
Aurora’s eyes lit up faintly. "Found you."
She crouched immediately, inspecting them more closely before carefully plucking a few stems. The scent confirmed it - detoxifying properties. Though mild but effective when combined correctly.
After searching for another few minutes, she spotted another familiar plant with broad leaves and thick roots.
One by one, she gathered what she needed. Her movements were efficient, her mind already mapping out the preparation process.
This wouldn’t cure the poison instantly. But it would start the process. And with time, it would work.
Aurora stood, adjusting her hold on the herbs before turning back toward the direction of her cave. The walk back was faster.
Her mind was already planning the next steps - preparation, extraction, dosage, and dealing with that Alpha because something told her he wouldn’t be patient.
And she was right.
The moment her cave came into view, her steps halted mid-motion as her gaze landed on the tall, familiar figure standing right outside her cave.