Lost in the forest, I wandered for half an hour, directionless. Exhaustion and thirst gnawed at me. All around, the scenery was eerily uniform—each tree a mirror of the last, indistinguishable, as if the world itself were closing in.
A mocking giggle rippled through the woods. I spun around, unable to pinpoint its source—the laughter seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere.
"If you've got the guts, show yourself! Damn you!" Rage burst out of me, my voice shattering the oppressive silence.
I studied the woods, mind racing. It didn't feel like a simple haunting, but more like I'd stumbled into a ghost maze. I remembered childhood tales—venture too deep into certain forests, and you might never return.
Looking back, it's almost absurd. All this strength, and yet nowhere to wield it—a cruel joke played by the forest itself.
I clutched the White Talisman, tearing at it again and again, desperate for Rufina Howard to sense my distress. I collapsed onto the ground, directionless, utterly lost.
After a long silence, mist began to curl through the trees, thin and spectral. The world blurred, the air turned cold, and I shuddered uncontrollably.
The fog thickened until my will began to erode, swallowed by helplessness. I was trapped—unable to advance, unable to retreat.
"Think carefully—what are you really hoping to achieve down here this time?"
Chief Stone's parting words echoed in my mind, vivid and unyielding. I forced myself to stand and walk onward. Instantly, laughter once again rippled through the forest, mocking my every step.
I let out a bitter, self-mocking laugh.
"What time is it already? Rachel Lan, Sophie Sun—they're still waiting for us."
The laughter swelled, the mist thickened, and I crept forward, step by cautious step. Now I was sure—this was Trickster Ridge. We’d all been led astray by ghosts. This was a mountain range, and if I kept heading downhill, I was bound to find something.
After a while, I shrugged off my backpack, ate some dried rations, drank water, and rested for over ten minutes. The laughter kept echoing, never letting me forget I was not alone.
I ignored it, focusing every ounce of will on my steps. I pressed forward along the slope, refusing to look back.
"Aren't you worried about your companions?"
A woman's voice drifted through the woods, ephemeral. I laughed quietly to myself.
"If you want to trap them, be my guest. Heh, I have urgent business to handle—I won’t play hide-and-seek with you."
With a breath, the mist scattered and the forest ahead grew denser. I was certain—if I kept moving, I’d make it down the mountain.
But then, something was wrong—my steps grew heavy, the ground felt different beneath me. What was happening? I crouched, grabbed a stick, and tossed it. Only then did I realize: I was climbing uphill.
Could the mountain shift on its own? The thought stunned me. It must have changed, bit by bit, without me noticing. No wonder each step grew heavier than the last.
It all made sense now—why we kept circling back to the same spot. Determined, I snapped a branch into a makeshift walking stick, planted it in the earth, and marched ahead.
After a while, I realized I was climbing again, eyes fixed on the stick as I forced myself straight ahead.
The woods thickened until there was almost no path left. That laughter returned, now edged with scorn.
If there's no path, carve one yourself.
As I spoke, I raised my hand. Deathbane Aura erupted from me, black thorns bursting forth. With a thunderous crash, the trees ahead were pierced and toppled, falling to either side.
The laughter twisted into a startled gasp.
Bang! Bang! The sounds echoed as I forced my way forward.
"Hey, hey, don’t be so reckless! Do you know how many years it takes for these Chaos Trees to grow this big?"
Without hesitation, I shouted, brandishing my Deathbane Aura Blade and slashing at two Chaos Trees. Both crashed to the ground, thunderous and final.
Hey, punk, don't go too far.
I ignored the voice and pressed onward, Deathbane Aura pouring from me as I stabbed wildly at the Chaos Trees all around.
If I get angry, do you think I'm some kitten? Stop it, you brat!
It was the same female ghost from before. In a rush, she appeared right in front of me, flying at me with her mouth wide open and claws extended.
I clenched my fist. As she lunged, I punched her square in the face. With a sickening crunch, blood sprayed and two teeth flew out, striking a Chaos Tree. She whimpered, but I didn't hesitate—I raised my Deathbane Aura Blade and charged.
Spare me, hero! Let's talk this out!
But when she saw the killing intent in my eyes, the ghost spun around and vanished into a Chaos Tree. I roared and split the tree open with a single blow.
Hmph, if you can't handle it, don't bother messing with people.
Looking ahead, I saw a stretch of barren wasteland overgrown with weeds. I stepped out and finally made it down the mountain.
Just you wait, brat! Just wait—I'll make sure your friends suffer!
Suit yourself, heh—if you can manage it. Remember, let my friends know I'm heading to Midway Town alone and tell them to wait for me at the foot of the mountain.
I turned, flashed a smile, and ran ahead.
You brat, you... you...
The female ghost behind me was fuming, lost for words. I couldn't help but laugh—genuinely, joyfully.
All I knew was I had to reach Midway Town and rendezvous with Lee Four, so he could figure out a way to get us through the Ghost Tomb Desert. We'd already wasted far too much time.
I didn't have a compass, nor did I know how to navigate the ghost realm. But according to the female ghost Ghost Rakshasa threw at me, the stench from Bitterwater Pond could be smelled from far away. I wasn't sure if a human like me could detect it, but if I got close, I should see it—supposedly, it was pretty big.
It was situated between Midway Town and Trickster Ridge, easy to spot. The two places were only a few hours apart.
After running for a while, I drank some water and kept going. About half an hour later, excitement surged—I saw a vast black lake ahead, stretching endlessly, surrounded by barren land with not a blade of grass.
I tried to get closer. In the center of the lake, there seemed to be a small island with a hut. As I approached, I couldn't smell anything, which eased my nerves. The lake water looked ordinary—clear, even.
Though the land around was barren, the lake itself seemed peaceful. My anxious heart settled as I gazed across the water. I sat at the shore, watching the small island—a tiled hut surrounded by a wooden fence.
After a good rest, I got up and kept moving, walking along the lakeshore. My plan was to circle to the opposite side, head toward the center, and walk straight ahead—Midway Town should come into view.
As I walked, bubbles rose up in the lake. I quickened my pace—something was beneath the water. Puzzled, I skirted the lake’s edge.
With a splash, a figure shot out of the water.
Whoa there, kid.
I jumped, startled, unable to react as a ghost lunged out and grabbed my arms. Just as I was about to fight back, I saw he was grinning happily—wild hair, a tattered gray robe, and a mouthful of black, crooked, foul-smelling teeth with bits of green stuck between them.
"What are you doing?" I muttered.
Kid, don’t you mind my smell?
I let out a confused sound and sniffed the air.
Doesn't smell at all. What's up? Let go of me.
Finally found a ghost who doesn't mind my stink! Haha, hahahaha...
Suddenly, the ghost burst into wild laughter, lifted me up, and dove into the water. It happened so fast—splashing everywhere. He carried me straight to the small island at the lake’s center. When he emerged, I saw he had no feet, just a spray of water, like a fountain.
Why did you bring me here?
The ghost, delighted, grabbed my hand and led me through the wooden gate, dragging me up to the house.
"Come on, let me treat you to something." As the ghost spoke, I watched his feet slowly appear. He went inside, brought out a table and an armchair, and sat me down beside it.
I watched quietly. From his earlier strength, this ghost seemed powerful. I didn't want trouble, so I just observed.
"Wait a moment, kid."
Soon, the ghost emerged with a plate of fish—a black, sharp-toothed ghost fish. I’d seen one before.
Eat up, kid. Since you don't mind my stink, you should find this delicious, heh.
I grunted, picked up my chopsticks, and took a piece of fish, chewing noisily. It was hard to swallow—like foam, maybe like sponge, tasteless.
In the end, I ate a little.
Tasty?
I forced a stiff smile and nodded.
Hey, could you take me to the other side? I have urgent business in Midway Town.
Ah, sorry, sorry! I got carried away. Kid, could you do me a favor? Please? My name's Old Nine. I don't know how many years it's been since I've seen another ghost. Sigh, it's a headache.
Huh? But I really do have urgent business...
Looking at Old Nine, the ghost in front of me, pleading sincerely for help, I found it hard to refuse—even though I really had urgent matters.